83 FR 57526 - Request for Comments on Negotiating Objectives for a U.S.-European Union Trade Agreement
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 221 (November 15, 2018)
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 221 (November 15, 2018)
| Page Range | 57526-57527 | |
| FR Document | 2018-24979 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 221 (Thursday, November 15, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 57526-57527] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-24979] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE [Docket Number USTR-2018-0035] Request for Comments on Negotiating Objectives for a U.S.- European Union Trade Agreement AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Request for comments and notice of public hearing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: On October 16, 2018, the United States Trade Representative notified Congress of the Administration's intention to enter into negotiations on a trade agreement with the European Union (EU). The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is seeking public comments on a proposed U.S.-EU trade agreement, including U.S. interests and priorities, in order to develop U.S. negotiating positions. You can provide comments in writing and orally at a public hearing. The Administration's aim in negotiations with the EU is to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers and to achieve fairer, more balanced trade. DATES: December 10, 2018: Deadline for the submission of written comments and for written notification of your intent to testify, as well as a summary of your testimony at the public hearing. December 14, 2018: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will hold a public hearing beginning at 9:30 a.m., at the Auditorium of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230. ADDRESSES: You should submit notifications of intent to testify and written comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments in parts 2 and 3 below. For alternatives to on-line submissions, please contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning written comments, please contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. Direct all other questions to David Weiner, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe, at (202) 395-9679. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Background The decision to launch negotiations for a U.S.-EU trade agreement is an important step toward achieving fairer, more balanced trade with the EU and follows the July 25, 2018 meeting between President Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. In the joint statement issued following their July 25th meeting, President Trump and President Juncker affirmed the intention of the United States and the EU to address both tariff and non-tariff barriers in their trading relationship. On October 16, 2018, following consultations with relevant Congressional committees, the United States Trade Representative informed Congress that the President intends to commence negotiations with the EU for a U.S.-EU Trade Agreement. 2. Public Comment and Hearing The TPSC invites interested parties to submit comments and/or oral testimony to assist USTR as it develops negotiating objectives and positions for the agreement, including with regard to objectives identified in section 102 of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4201). In particular, the TPSC invites interested parties to comment on issues including, but not limited to, the following: a. General and product-specific negotiating objectives for the proposed agreement. b. Relevant barriers to trade in goods and services between the U.S. and the EU that should be addressed in the negotiations. c. Economic costs and benefits to U.S. producers and consumers of removal or reduction of tariffs and removal or reduction of non-tariff barriers on articles traded with the EU. d. Treatment of specific goods (described by HTSUS numbers) under the proposed agreement, including comments on: i. Product-specific import or export interests or barriers. ii. Experience with particular measures that should be addressed in the negotiations. iii. Ways to address export priorities and import sensitivities in the context of the proposed agreement. e. Customs and trade facilitation issues that should be addressed in the negotiations. f. Sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade that should be addressed in the negotiations. g. Other measures or practices that undermine fair market opportunities for U.S. businesses, workers, farmers, and ranchers that should be addressed in the negotiations. USTR must receive written comments no later than Monday, December 10, 2018. USTR requests that small businesses, generally defined by the Small Business Administration as firms with fewer than 500 employees, or organizations representing small business members, which submit comments to self-identify as such, so that we may be aware of issues of particular interest to small businesses. The TPSC will hold a hearing on December 14, 2018, in the Auditorium of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230. If necessary, the hearing will continue on the next business day. Persons wishing to testify at the hearing must provide written notification of their intention by December 10, 2018. The notification of intent to testify must be made in the `type comment' field under docket number USTR-2018-0035 on the www.regulations.gov website and should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person presenting the testimony. You should attach a summary of the testimony by using the `upload file' field. The file name also should include who will be presenting the testimony. The TPSC limits remarks at the hearing to no more than five minutes to allow for possible questions. 3. Requirements for Submissions In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line submissions, using the www.regulations.gov website. Persons submitting a notification of intent to testify and/or written comments must do so in English and must identify (on the first page of the submission) the ``U.S.-EU Trade Agreement.'' [[Page 57527]] To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR-2018-0035 on the home page and click `search.' The site will provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice and click on the link entitled `comment now!' For further information on using the www.regulations.gov website, please consult the resources provided on the website by clicking on `How to Use This Site' on the left side of the home page. The www.regulations.gov website allows users to provide comments by filling in a `type comment' field, or by attaching a document using an `upload file' field. USTR prefers that you provide comments in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type `see attached' in the `type comment' field. USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate the name of the application in the `type comment' field. For any comments submitted electronically containing business confidential information, the file name of the business confidential version should begin with the characters `BC.' Any page containing business confidential information must be clearly marked BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL on the top of that page. Filers of submissions containing business confidential information also must submit a public version of their comments. The file name of the public version should begin with the character `P.' The `BC' and `P' should be followed by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments or reply comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business confidential information should name their file using the name of the person or entity submitting the comments. Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files. As noted, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through www.regulations.gov. You must make any alternative arrangements before transmitting a comment and in advance of the applicable deadline with Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. USTR will place comments in the docket for public inspection, except business confidential information. General information concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov. Edward Gresser, Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United States Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2018-24979 Filed 11-14-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290-F9-P
![57526 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 221 / Thursday, November 15, 2018 / Notices
consultation with the Executive written comments through the Federal i. Product-specific import or export
Director. The Advisory Commission eRulemaking Portal: https:// interests or barriers.
may undertake foreign travel in pursuit www.regulations.gov. Follow the ii. Experience with particular
of its studies and coordinate, sponsor, or instructions for submitting comments in measures that should be addressed in
oversee projects, studies, events, or parts 2 and 3 below. For alternatives to the negotiations.
other activities that it deems desirable on-line submissions, please contact iii. Ways to address export priorities
and necessary in fulfilling its functions. Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–3475. and import sensitivities in the context of
For more information on the U.S. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the proposed agreement.
Advisory Commission on Public procedural questions concerning written e. Customs and trade facilitation
Diplomacy, please visit www.state.gov/ comments, please contact Yvonne issues that should be addressed in the
pdcommission. For more information on Jamison at (202) 395–3475. Direct all negotiations.
the upcoming public meeting, contact other questions to David Weiner, f. Sanitary and phytosanitary
the Commission’s Designated Federal Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade measures and technical barriers to trade
Official, Jeff Daigle, at DaigleJJ@ Representative for Europe, at (202) 395– that should be addressed in the
state.gov. 9679. negotiations.
John J. Daigle, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: g. Other measures or practices that
Designated Federal Official, Advisory 1. Background undermine fair market opportunities for
Commission on Public Diplomacy, U.S. businesses, workers, farmers, and
Department of State. The decision to launch negotiations ranchers that should be addressed in the
for a U.S.-EU trade agreement is an negotiations.
[FR Doc. 2018–24958 Filed 11–14–18; 8:45 am]
important step toward achieving fairer, USTR must receive written comments
BILLING CODE 4710–11–P
more balanced trade with the EU and no later than Monday, December 10,
follows the July 25, 2018 meeting 2018.
between President Trump and European USTR requests that small businesses,
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES Commission President Jean-Claude
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE generally defined by the Small Business
Juncker. In the joint statement issued Administration as firms with fewer than
[Docket Number USTR–2018–0035] following their July 25th meeting, 500 employees, or organizations
President Trump and President Juncker representing small business members,
Request for Comments on Negotiating affirmed the intention of the United which submit comments to self-identify
Objectives for a U.S.-European Union States and the EU to address both tariff as such, so that we may be aware of
Trade Agreement and non-tariff barriers in their trading issues of particular interest to small
relationship. businesses.
AGENCY: Office of the United States On October 16, 2018, following
Trade Representative. The TPSC will hold a hearing on
consultations with relevant
ACTION: Request for comments and December 14, 2018, in the Auditorium
Congressional committees, the United
notice of public hearing. of the Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S.
States Trade Representative informed
Department of Commerce, 1401
SUMMARY: On October 16, 2018, the Congress that the President intends to
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
United States Trade Representative commence negotiations with the EU for
DC 20230. If necessary, the hearing will
notified Congress of the a U.S.-EU Trade Agreement.
continue on the next business day.
Administration’s intention to enter into 2. Public Comment and Hearing Persons wishing to testify at the hearing
negotiations on a trade agreement with The TPSC invites interested parties to must provide written notification of
the European Union (EU). The Office of submit comments and/or oral testimony their intention by December 10, 2018.
the United States Trade Representative to assist USTR as it develops negotiating The notification of intent to testify must
(USTR) is seeking public comments on objectives and positions for the be made in the ‘type comment’ field
a proposed U.S.-EU trade agreement, agreement, including with regard to under docket number USTR–2018–0035
including U.S. interests and priorities, objectives identified in section 102 of on the www.regulations.gov website and
in order to develop U.S. negotiating the Bipartisan Congressional Trade should include the name, address, and
positions. You can provide comments in Priorities and Accountability Act of telephone number of the person
writing and orally at a public hearing. 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4201). In particular, the presenting the testimony. You should
The Administration’s aim in TPSC invites interested parties to attach a summary of the testimony by
negotiations with the EU is to address comment on issues including, but not using the ‘upload file’ field. The file
both tariff and non-tariff barriers and to limited to, the following: name also should include who will be
achieve fairer, more balanced trade. a. General and product-specific presenting the testimony. The TPSC
DATES: negotiating objectives for the proposed limits remarks at the hearing to no more
December 10, 2018: Deadline for the agreement. than five minutes to allow for possible
submission of written comments and for b. Relevant barriers to trade in goods questions.
written notification of your intent to and services between the U.S. and the
testify, as well as a summary of your 3. Requirements for Submissions
EU that should be addressed in the
testimony at the public hearing. negotiations. In order to ensure the timely receipt
December 14, 2018: The Trade Policy c. Economic costs and benefits to U.S. and consideration of comments, USTR
Staff Committee (TPSC) will hold a strongly encourages commenters to
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producers and consumers of removal or
public hearing beginning at 9:30 a.m., at reduction of tariffs and removal or make on-line submissions, using the
the Auditorium of the Herbert C. Hoover reduction of non-tariff barriers on www.regulations.gov website. Persons
Building, U.S. Department of articles traded with the EU. submitting a notification of intent to
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue d. Treatment of specific goods testify and/or written comments must
NW, Washington, DC 20230. (described by HTSUS numbers) under do so in English and must identify (on
ADDRESSES: You should submit the proposed agreement, including the first page of the submission) the
notifications of intent to testify and comments on: ‘‘U.S.-EU Trade Agreement.’’
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![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 221 / Thursday, November 15, 2018 / Notices 57527
To submit comments via General information concerning USTR withdrawing duty-free treatment. The
www.regulations.gov, enter docket is available at www.ustr.gov. statute provides that when the President
number USTR–2018–0035 on the home determines that a GSP beneficiary has
Edward Gresser,
page and click ‘search.’ The site will exported to the United States during any
Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee,
provide a search-results page listing all calendar year a quantity of an eligible
Office of the United States Trade
documents associated with this docket. Representative. article that either is greater than a
Find a reference to this notice and click specified amount ($180 million for
[FR Doc. 2018–24979 Filed 11–14–18; 8:45 am]
on the link entitled ‘comment now!’ For 2017), or exceeds 50 percent of the
BILLING CODE 3290–F9–P
further information on using the appraised value of the total U.S. imports
www.regulations.gov website, please of that article, the President ‘‘shall, not
consult the resources provided on the OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES later than November 1 of the next
website by clicking on ‘How to Use This TRADE REPRESENTATIVE calendar year, terminate the duty-free
Site’ on the left side of the home page. treatment for that article’’ from that
The www.regulations.gov website Results of the 2017/2018 Annual beneficiary, unless a waiver is granted.1
allows users to provide comments by Generalized System of Preferences The statute provides that the
filling in a ‘type comment’ field, or by Review President may waive either CNL if,
attaching a document using an ‘upload before November 1 of the calendar year
file’ field. USTR prefers that you AGENCY: Office of the United States following the year in which imports
Trade Representative. exceeded CNLs, the President (1)
provide comments in an attached
document. If a document is attached, it ACTION: Notice. receives advice from the U.S.
is sufficient to type ‘see attached’ in the International Trade Commission
SUMMARY: The Office of the United
‘type comment’ field. USTR prefers (USITC) on whether any industry in the
States Trade Representative (USTR) is
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or United States is ‘‘likely to be adversely
announcing the results of the 2016/2017
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the submission affected by such waiver’’; (2)
Annual Generalized System of
is in an application other than those determines, based on certain statutory
Preferences (GSP) Review with respect
two, please indicate the name of the considerations,2 that such a waiver is in
to: Products considered for addition to
application in the ‘type comment’ field. the list of eligible products for GSP; the national economic interest; and (3)
For any comments submitted products considered for removal from publishes that determination in the
electronically containing business the list of eligible products for certain Federal Register. The statute further
confidential information, the file name beneficiary countries; decisions related provides that the President may
of the business confidential version to competitive need limitations (CNLs), disregard the 50 percent CNL if total
should begin with the characters ‘BC.’ including petitions for waivers of CNLs; imports of an article did not exceed a de
Any page containing business and requests to reinstate/redesignate minimis amount ($23.5 million in 2017),
confidential information must be clearly products previously excluded from GSP or if the product was not produced in
marked BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL on eligibility for certain countries. the United States in any of the three
the top of that page. Filers of preceding calendar years.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
submissions containing business As part of the 2017/2018 GSP Annual
Lauren Gamache, Director for GSP at Review, the TPSC reviewed three types
confidential information also must (202) 395–2974 or lauren.m.gamache@
submit a public version of their of actions related to the CNLs: (1)
ustr.eop.gov.
comments. The file name of the public Whether to grant CNL waivers for
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: products from certain countries, (2)
version should begin with the character
‘P.’ The ‘BC’ and ‘P’ should be followed A. Background whether to redesignate products from
by the name of the person or entity certain countries previously excluded
The GSP program provides for the from GSP eligibility based on CNLs; and
submitting the comments or reply duty-free treatment of designated
comments. Filers submitting comments (3) whether to grant de minimis CNL
articles when imported from beneficiary waivers for products from certain
containing no business confidential developing countries (BDCs). The GSP
information should name their file using countries.
program is authorized by title V of the
the name of the person or entity Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2461– B. Results of the 2017/2018 Annual GSP
submitting the comments. 2467), as amended, and is implemented Review
Please do not attach separate cover in accordance with Executive Order In the 2017/2018 Annual GSP Review,
letters to electronic submissions; rather, 11888 of November 24, 1975, as the TPSC reviewed (1) petitions to add
include any information that might modified by subsequent Executive nine products to the list of those eligible
appear in a cover letter in the comments Orders and Presidential Proclamations. for duty-free treatment under GSP; (2)
themselves. Similarly, to the extent Each year, USTR leads the petitions to remove the GSP eligibility
possible, please include any exhibits, interagency Trade Policy Staff of two products; (3) petitions to waive
annexes, or other attachments in the Committee (TPSC) in reviewing the list CNLs for five products from beneficiary
same file as the submission itself, not as of products eligible for GSP benefits. countries; (4) 92 products eligible for
separate files. After completion of a process that one-year de minimis waivers of CNLs;
As noted, USTR strongly urges includes public hearings, USTR and (5) petitions to redesignate products
submitters to file comments through provides recommendations to the previously excluded from GSP
www.regulations.gov. You must make
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President on appropriate actions based
any alternative arrangements before on statutory criteria, including 1 CNLs do not apply to least-developed or sub-
transmitting a comment and in advance exclusions from duty-free treatment of Saharan African beneficiaries (19 U.S.C.
of the applicable deadline with Yvonne products from certain countries when 2463(c)(2)(D)).
2 These include the general statutory
Jamison at (202) 395–3475. they have reached the statutory CNL
considerations for granting duty-free treatment for
USTR will place comments in the thresholds. any article from any beneficiary under 19 U.S.C.
docket for public inspection, except The GSP statute (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)) 2461, as well as the country eligibility criteria set
business confidential information. establishes CNLs as a basis for forth in 19 U.S.C. 2462(c).
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Document Created: 2018-11-15 04:00:26
Document Modified: 2018-11-15 04:00:26
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Request for comments and notice of public hearing. | |
| Dates | December 10, 2018: Deadline for the submission of written comments and for written notification of your intent to testify, as well as a summary of your testimony at the public hearing. | |
| Contact | For procedural questions concerning written comments, please contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475. Direct all other questions to David Weiner, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe, at (202) 395-9679. | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 57526 |
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