83 FR 6667 - Meeting on United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Environment Chapter Implementation, Working Group on Environmental Cooperation, and Public Session

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 31 (February 14, 2018)

The Department of State and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that the governments of the United States and Kingdom of Morocco (the governments) intend to hold a meeting to review implementation of the Environment Chapter of the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a meeting of the United States-Morocco Working Group on Environmental Cooperation (Working Group), and a public session in Rabat, Morocco, on March 13, 2018, at the Ministry of Environment, to discuss implementation of the Environment Chapter and Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6667-6668]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03117]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 10313]


Meeting on United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Environment 
Chapter Implementation, Working Group on Environmental Cooperation, and 
Public Session

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Announcement of meetings; solicitation of suggestions; 
invitation to public session.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State and the Office of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) are providing notice that the governments 
of the United States and Kingdom of Morocco (the governments) intend to 
hold a meeting to review implementation of the Environment Chapter of 
the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a meeting of the 
United States-Morocco Working Group on Environmental Cooperation 
(Working Group), and a public session in Rabat, Morocco, on March 13, 
2018, at the Ministry of Environment, to discuss implementation of the 
Environment Chapter and Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation.

DATES: The public session will be held on March 13, 2018, in Rabat, 
Morocco at the Ministry of Environment. Suggestions on the meeting 
agenda and/or the 2018-2021 Plan of Action should be provided no later 
than March 8, 2018, to facilitate consideration.

ADDRESSES: Those interested in attending the public session should 
email Eloise Canfield at [email protected] to find out the time of 
the session. Suggestions on the meeting agenda and/or the 2018-2021 
Plan of Action should be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 
Eloise Canfield at (202) 647-5947, with the subject line ``United 
States-Morocco Environmental Cooperation.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eloise Canfield, (202) 647-4750 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the meetings, the governments will 
review and discuss implementation of the Environment Chapter of the 
FTA. The governments will also discuss how the United States and 
Morocco can work together to protect and conserve the environment, 
highlight past bilateral environmental cooperation, review activities 
under the 2014-2017 Plan of Action, and develop a 2018-2021 Plan of 
Action. The Department of State and USTR invite the members of the 
public to submit written suggestions on items to include on the meeting 
agenda and in the 2018-2021 Plan of Action.
    The Department of State and USTR also invite interested persons to 
attend a public session where the public will have the opportunity to 
ask about implementation of both the Joint Statement and the 
Environment Chapter of the United States-Morocco FTA. The Environment 
Chapter of the FTA includes obligations on each Party to ensure that 
its environmental laws and policies provide for and encourage high 
levels of environmental protection, effectively enforce its 
environmental laws, and provide opportunities for public participation 
on matters related to the implementation of the chapter. In the Joint 
Statement, the governments of the United States and Morocco (1) 
recognize ``the importance of protecting the environment while 
promoting sustainable development in concert with the expanded 
bilateral trade and investment ties accompanying the United States-
Morocco Free Trade Agreement (`FTA')'' and (2) indicate their intent 
``to pursue efforts to enhance bilateral environmental cooperation. . . 
.'' In paragraph 5 of the Joint Statement, the governments establish 
the Working Group to coordinate and review environmental cooperation 
activities. As envisioned in the Joint Statement, the Working Group 
develops Plans of Action, reviews and assesses cooperative 
environmental activities pursuant to the Plan of Action, recommends 
ways to improve such cooperation, and undertakes such other activities 
as may seem appropriate to the governments.
    Through this notice, the United States is soliciting the views of 
the public with respect to the 2018-2021 Plan of Action. Members of the 
public, including NGOs, educational institutions, private sector 
enterprises, and all other interested persons are invited to submit 
written suggestions regarding items for inclusion in the meeting 
agendas or in the 2018-2021 Plan of Action. Please include your full 
name and identify any organization or group you represent. We encourage 
submitters to refer to:
     United States-Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental 
Cooperation;
     2014-2017 Plan of Action Pursuant to the United States-
Morocco Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation;

[[Page 6668]]

     Chapter 17 of the United States-Morocco Free Trade 
Agreement; and
     Final Environmental Review of the United States-Morocco 
Free Trade Agreement.
    These documents are available at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/morocco/index.htm.

Robert Wing,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary 
Issues, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2018-03117 Filed 2-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-09-P