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[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 87 (Monday, May 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25779-25780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8622]

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-2104-24]

U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economy-wide and 
Selected Sectoral Effects

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request from the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) on April 1, 2007, the Commission instituted 
investigation No. TA-2104-24, U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: 
Potential Economy-wide and Selected Sectoral Effects, under section 
2104(f) of the Trade Act of 2002 (19 U.S.C. 3804(f)), for the purpose 
of assessing the likely impact of the U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 
with the Republic of Korea (Korea) on the United States economy as a 
whole and on specific industry sectors and the interests of U.S. 
consumers.

Dates: 
    April 1, 2007: Receipt of request.
    May 24, 2007: Deadline for receipt of requests to appear at 
hearing.
    May 24, 2007: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    June 7, 2007, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing.
    June 21, 2007: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements and all other written submissions.
    September 20, 2007: Anticipated date for transmitting report to 
USTR and the Congress.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW,, Washington, DC. All written submissions, 
including requests to appear at the hearing, statements, and briefs, 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Nannette Christ (202-
205-3263; [email protected]) or Deputy Project Leader Queena 
Fan (202-205-3055; [email protected]). For information on legal 
aspects, contact William Gearhart of the Office of the General Counsel 
(202-205-3091; [email protected]). The media should contact 
Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819; 
[email protected]). General information concerning the 
Commission may also be obtained by accessing its Internet address 
(http://www.usitc.gov). Hearing impaired individuals are advised that 
information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the TDD 
terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will 
need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should 
contact the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As requested by the USTR, the Commission 
will prepare a report as specified in section 2104(f)(2)-(3) of the 
Trade Act of 2002 assessing the likely impact of the U.S. FTA with 
Korea on the U.S. economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors, 
including the impact the agreement will have on the gross domestic 
product, exports, and imports; aggregate employment and employment 
opportunities; the production, employment, and competitive position of 
industries likely to be significantly affected by the agreement; and 
the interests of U.S. consumers. In preparing its assessment, the 
Commission will review available economic assessments regarding the 
agreement, including literature concerning any substantially equivalent 
proposed agreement. The Commission will provide a description of the 
analyses used and conclusions drawn in such literature, and a 
discussion of areas of consensus and divergence between the 
Commission's analyses and conclusions and other economic assessments 
reviewed.
    Section 2104(f)(2) requires that the Commission submit its report 
to the President and the Congress not later than 90 days after the 
President enters into the agreement, which he can do 90 days after he 
notifies the Congress of his intent to do so. On April 1, 2007, the 
President notified the Congress of his intent to enter into a FTA with 
Korea. The USTR requested that the Commission provide the report as 
soon as possible after the FTA is signed.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with the 
investigation is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on June 7, 2007, at 
the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC. All persons shall have the right to appear, by counsel 
or

[[Page 25780]]

in person, to present information and to be heard. Requests to appear 
at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than 
5:15 p.m., May 24, 2007. Any pre-hearing briefs or statements should be 
filed no later than 5:15 p.m., May 24, 2007, and any post-hearing 
briefs or statements should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m., June 21, 
2007; all such briefs and statements must be submitted in accordance 
with the requirements below under ``written submissions.'' In the event 
that, as of the close of business on May 24, 2007, no witnesses are 
scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any 
person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or 
nonparticipant may call the Secretary to the Commission (202-205-2000) 
after May 24, 2007 for information concerning whether the hearing will 
be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements concerning the matters to be addressed by the Commission in 
its report on this investigation. Submissions should be addressed to 
the Secretary. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, 
written statements related to the Commission's report should be 
submitted to the Commission at the earliest practical date and should 
be received no later than 5:15 p.m., June 21, 2007.
    All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.8). Section 201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or 
copy designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each 
document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the 
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be 
filed, in which the confidential business information must be deleted 
(see the following paragraph for further information regarding 
confidential business information). The Commission's rules do not 
authorize filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or 
electronic means, except to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of 
the rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 or 
[email protected]).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information must 
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or 
``nonconfidential'' version, and that the confidential business 
information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written 
submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made 
available in the Office of the Secretary to the Commission for 
inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission intends to prepare only a public report in this 
investigation. The report that the Commission sends to the President 
and the Congress and makes available to the public will not contain 
confidential business information. Any confidential business 
information received by the Commission in this investigation and used 
in preparing the report will not be published in a manner that would 
reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

     Issued: April 30, 2007.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7-8622 Filed 5-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P
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