[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8505-8506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4645]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on the Accessions 
of Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, 
Seychelles and Vanuatu to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and on 
U.S. Participation in Negotiations for the Terms of Those Accessions

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting written 
public comments concerning U.S. commercial interests and other issues 
related to the accessions of Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz 
Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles and Vanuatu to the WTO. Public 
comments should include, but not be limited to, information concerning 
those countries' current trade policies and practices which affect (A) 
market access for U.S. exports, e.g., tariffs, non-tariff measures; (B) 
trade and investment in services, (C) other aspects of the trade regime 
affecting U.S. trade interests subject to WTO provisions, and (D) 
conditions or practices that impair the ability of WTO provisions to be 
applied on a reciprocal basis in these countries' trade regimes. 
Comments received will be considered in developing U.S. positions and 
objectives for the multilateral and bilateral negotiations that will 
determine the terms of WTO accession for Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, 
Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles and Vanuatu to the World 
Trade Organization.

DATES: Public comments are due by noon on Friday, March 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Chattin, Director for Tariff Negotiations (202-395-5097), Peter 
Collins, Deputy Assistant USTR for Services and Investment (202-395-
7271) or Cecilia Leahy Klein, Director for WTO Accessions (202-395-
9437), Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chairman of the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee invites written comments from the public on market access and 
other issues to be addressed in the course of negotiations with 
Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles 
and Vanuatu to the WTO. Each of these countries have already tabled the 
documentation necessary to begin the process of accession. Jordan and 
Vanuatu have already completed their first working party meetings, and 
first working party meetings are scheduled during the first half of 
1997 for Algeria, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, and 
Seychelles. The terms of WTO membership for these countries will be 
negotiated with WTO Members bilaterally and in meetings of the Working 
Parties established by the Members of the WTO to conduct negotiations.
    All comments received will be considered in developing U.S. 
positions and objectives for participation in these negotiations, which 
will establish schedules of commitments and concessions in the areas of 
agriculture, industrial goods, and trade and investment in services, 
and will develop elements of the protocols of accession for Algeria, 
Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles and 
Vanuatu to the WTO.
    The Committee is seeking public comments on the possible affect on 
U.S. trade of the accessions of Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz 
Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles and Vanuatu to the WTO, with 
reference to tariffs applied to imports and any other trade measures 
currently applied by those countries that could be subject to the 
provisions of the WTO; particularly market access issues for goods and 
services, or practices that could affect the competitiveness of U.S. 
goods and services in those markets. Issues of interest to the TPSC 
include, but are not limited to: (a) Comments on possible tariff 
reductions and the removal of border measures such as quotas or import 
licensing requirements; (b) uniform application of the trading system 
and access to the right to trade; (c) the provision of national 
treatment and nondiscriminatory treatment for imports, especially in 
the area of domestic taxation; (d) transparency in application of trade 
laws and regulations; (e) right of appeal in cases involving 
application of trade laws and other laws relating to WTO provisions, 
such as protection and enforcement of

[[Page 8506]]

intellectual property rights (IPR) and services; (f) customs processing 
issues; such as document certification prior to export, fees, customs 
valuation, and certification requirements; (g) industrial export and 
domestic subsidies; (h) agricultural export subsidies and domestic 
supports and incentives; (i) safeguard and unfair trade practice 
procedures applied to imports; (j) plant, animal, and human health and 
safety requirements; (k) requirements for and restrictions on the right 
to import and export goods; (l) technical barriers to trade; (m) 
utilization of preshipment inspection services; (n) activities of state 
trading enterprises, including restrictions and other trade-distorting 
practices made effective through state trading; (o) price controls and 
policies; (p) foreign exchange controls that act as barriers to trade 
and investment; (q) membership in preferential trade arrangements, free 
trade arrangements, or customs unions; (r) government procurement 
practices; (s) policies concerning trade in civil aircraft; (t) the 
trade-related aspects of investment policies; and (u) the protection 
and enforcement of intellectual property. Market access issues for 
services include, but are not limited to, the right of establishment 
for U.S. services providers, the right to purchase services abroad, the 
ability to provide services on a cross-border basis, and the ability of 
persons to enter temporarily to provide services.
    Information on products or practices subject to these negotiations 
should include, whenever appropriate, the import or export tariff 
classification number used by Algeria, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz 
Republic, Moldova, Oman, Seychelles and Vanuatu for the product 
concerned.

WRITTEN COMMENTS: All written comments should be addressed to: Gloria 
Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street N.W., Room 501, 
Washington, D.C. 20508.
    All submissions must be in English and should conform to the 
information requirements of 15 CFR 2003.
    A party must provide ten copies of its submission which must be 
received at USTR no later than noon, Friday, March 28, 1997. If the 
submission contains business confidential information, ten copies of a 
non-confidential version must also be submitted. A justification as to 
why the information contained in the submission should be treated 
confidentially must be included in the submission. In addition, any 
submissions containing business confidential information must be 
clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page 
(or letter) and of each succeeding page of the submission. The version 
does not contain confidential information should also be clearly 
marked, at the top and bottom of each page, ``public version'' or 
``non-confidential.''
    Written comments submitted in connection with this request, except 
for information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 
CFR 2003.6, will be available for public inspection shortly after the 
filing deadline. Inspection is by appointment only with the staff of 
the USTR Public Reading Room and can be arranged by calling (202) 395-
6186.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-4645 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M