Title 15—Commerce and Foreign Trade--Volume 1
PART 2001—CREATION, ORGANIZATION, AND FUNCTIONS
§ 2001.0   Scope and purpose.
(a) This chapter sets out terms of reference of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (hereinafter the “Office”), and the procedures whereby it carries out its general responsibilities under the trade agreements program.
(b) One of the primary purposes of these regulations is to inform the public of the unit known as the Trade Policy Staff Committee, which replaces and assumes the functions formerly performed by The Trade Staff Committee and the Trade Information Committee. One of the functions of the Trade Policy Staff Committee is to afford an opportunity for interested parties to present oral and written statements concerning the trade agreements program and related matters.
§ 2001.1   Creation and location.
(a) The Office was established as an agency in the Executive Office of the President by Executive Order 11075 of January 15, 1963 (28 FR 473), as amended by Executive Order 11106 of April 18, 1963 (28 FR 3911), and Executive Order 11113 of June 13, 1963 (28 FR 6183). The Office subsequently was reestablished as an agency in the Executive Office of the President by section 141 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-618, 88 Stat. 1978, hereinafter referred to as the “Trade Act”), and was delegated certain functions under the Trade Act by Executive Order 11846 of March 27, 1975. 1
1 40 FR 14291, March 31, 1975.
(b) The Office is located at 1800 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20506.
§ 2001.2   Organization.
(a) The Office is headed by the United States Trade Representative (hereinafter, the “Trade Representative”) as provided in section 141(b)(1) of the Trade Act. The Trade Representative reports directly to the President and the Congress as described in § 2001.3(a)(2) of this part, and has the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
(b) The Office also consists of two Deputy Trade Representatives (hereinafter “Deputy Trade Representatives”) as provided in section 141(b)(2) of the Trade Act, each of whom holds the rank of Ambassador, and of a professional and nonprofessional staff.
(c) The Trade Policy Committee, an interagency committee composed of the heads of specified Executive departments and offices, was established by section 3 of Executive Order 11846 (see Appendix), as authorized by section 242(a) of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, 2 under the chairmanship of the United States Trade Representative, as provided by section 141(c)(1)(E) of the Trade Act. Two subordinate bodies of the Trade Policy Committee, the Trade Policy Committee Review Group, and the Trade Policy Staff Committee, provided for in §§ 2002.1 and 2002.2 respectively, are established by, and under the direction and administrative control of the Trade Representative.
2 76 Stat. 902, 19 U.S.C. 1872; Pub. L. 93-618, 88 Stat. 1978, section 602(b).
§ 2001.3   Functions.
(a) The Trade Representative:
(1) Except where otherwise provided by statute, Executive order, or instructions of the President, is the chief representative of the United States for each negotiation under the trade agreements program as defined in section 1 of Executive Order 11846, and participates in other negotiations which may have a direct and significant impact on trade;
(2) Reports directly to the President and the Congress, and is responsible to the President and the Congress, with respect to the administration of the trade agreements program as defined in section 1 of Executive Order 11846;
(3) Advises the President and the Congress with respect to tariff and nontariff barriers to international trade, international commodity agreements, and other matters which are related to the trade agreements program;
(4) Performs the functions of the President under section 102 of the Trade Act concerning notice to, and consultation with, Congress, in connection with agreements on nontariff barriers to, and other distortions of, trade, and prepares for the President's transmission to Congress all proposed legislation and other documents necessary or appropriate for the implementation of, or otherwise required in connection with, trade agreements (except that where implementation of an agreement on nontariff barriers to, and other distortions of trade requires a change in a domestic law, the department or agency having the primary interest in the administration of such domestic law prepares and transmits to the Trade Representative any proposed legislation necessary for such implementation);
(5) Is responsible for making reports to Congress with respect to the matters set forth in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section and prepares, for the President's transmission to Congress, the annual report on the trade agreements program required by section 163(a) of the Trade Act ;
(6) Is chairman of the Trade Policy Committee, and designates the chairman of the Trade Policy Committee Review Group and the Trade Policy Staff Committee, which are provided for in part 2002 of these regulations;
(7) Is responsible for the preparation and submission of any Proclamation which relates wholly or primarily to the trade agreements program;
(8) Performs the functions of the President under section 131(c) of the Trade Act concerning requests for, and receipt of, advice from the International Trade Commission with respect to modifications of barriers to (and other distortions of) international trade;
(9) Performs the functions of the President under section 132 of the Trade Act with respect to advice of departments of the Federal government and other sources, and under section 133 of the Trade Act with respect to certain public hearings;
(10) Performs the functions of the President under section 135 of the Trade Act with respect to advisory committees, (including functions under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 86 Stat. 770, 5 U.S.C. App. 1, which are applicable to such committees, except that of reporting annually to Congress), and, acting through the Secretaries of Commerce, Labor, and Agriculture, as appropriate, performs the functions of the President in establishing and organizing general policy advisory committees and sector advisory committees under section 135(c) of the Trade Act;
(11) Determines ad valorem amounts and equivalents pursuant to sections 601 (3) and (4) of the Trade Act, taking into account advice from the International Trade Commission and in consultation with the Trade Policy Committee;
(12) Requests, where appropriate, information from the International Trade Commission in connection with import relief findings or actions under sections 202(d) and 203(i) (1) and (2) of the Trade Act;
(13) Acting through the Section 301 Committee provided for in § 2002.3 of this chapter as appropriate, provides opportunities for the presentation of views under sections 301(d) and 301(e) of the Trade Act, with respect to certain foreign restrictions, acts, practices or policies and United States actions in response thereto;
(14) At the request of a complainant, made in accordance with § 2003.3 of these regulations, under section 301(d)(2) of the Trade Act, or of an interested person under section 301(e)(2), provides for appropriate public hearings by the Trade Policy Staff Committee on alleged foreign restrictions, acts, policies, or practices under section 301(d)(2), and on any action by the United States with respect to the import treatment of any foreign product or the treatment of any foreign service under section 301(e)(2);
(15) Requests, where appropriate, the views of the International Trade Commission as to the probable impact on the economy of the United States of any action under section 301(a) of the Trade Act;
(16) Is responsible, in consultation with the Secretary of State, for the administration of the generalized system of preferences under Title V of the Trade Act;
(17) Is responsible for such other functions as the President may direct.
(b)(1) Each Deputy Trade Representative shall have as his principal function the conduct of trade negotiations under this Act, and shall have such other functions as the Trade Representative may direct;
(2) A Deputy Trade Representative, designated by the Trade Representative, is chairman of the Trade Policy Committee Review Group provided for in § 2002.1;
(3) A Deputy Trade Representative, designated by the Trade Representative, is chairman of the Adjustment Assistance Coordinating Committee established by section 281 of the Trade Act.