Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Office of the United States Trade Representative

          - [Dispute No. WTO/DS427]

# AGENCY:

Office of the United States Trade Representative.

# ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

# SUMMARY:

                        The Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) is providing notice that on December 8, 2011, the United States requested establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the                         *Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization*                         (“WTO Agreement”) with the People's Republic of China (“China”) concerning countervailing and antidumping duties on chicken broiler products from the United States. That request may be found at                         *www.wto.org*                         contained in a document designated as WT/DS427/2. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.                    

# DATES:

Although USTR will accept any comments received during the course of the dispute settlement proceedings, comments should be submitted on or before February 10, 2012 to be assured of timely consideration by USTR.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Public comments should be submitted electronically to                         *www.regulations.gov,*                         docket number USTR-2011-0022. If you are unable to provide submissions to                         *www.regulations.gov,*                         please contact Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an alternative method of transmission. If (as explained below) the comment contains confidential information, then the comment should be submitted by fax only to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mayur R. Patel, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative, or Joseph M. Johnson, Assistant General Counsel, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508, (202) 395-3150.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

                    Section 127(b)(1) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)) requires that notice and opportunity for comment be provided after the United States submits or receives a request for establishment of a WTO dispute settlement panel. Consistent with this obligation, USTR is providing notice that it has requested a panel pursuant to the WTO                     *Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes*                     (“DSU”). Once it is established, the panel will hold its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, and would be expected to issue a report on its findings and recommendations within nine months of its establishment.                

## Major Issues Raised by the United States

                    The United States considers that certain measures imposing countervailing duties and antidumping duties on chicken broiler products from the United States are inconsistent with China's commitments and obligations under the WTO Agreement. The measures are set forth in the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (“MOFCOM”) Notice No. 8 [2010], Notice No. 26 [2010], Notice No. 51 [2010], and Notice No. 52 [2010], including any and all annexes. These measures appear to be inconsistent with Articles 1, 2.2, 2.2.1.1, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.5.1, 6.8, 6.9, 12.2, 12.2.1, and 12.2.2 of the Anti-dumping Agreement; Articles 10, 12.3, 12.4.1, 12.7, 12.8, 15.1, 15.2, 15.4, 15.5, 16.1, 19.4, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5 of the Subsidies and Countervailing Measures Agreement; and Article VI of the GATT 1994. On September 20, 2011, the United States requested consultations with China. That request may be found at                     *www.wto.org*                     contained in a document designated as WT/DS427/1. The United States and China held consultations on October 28, 2011, but the consultations did not resolve the matter.                

## Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

                    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning the issues raised in this dispute. Persons may submit public comments electronically to                     *www.regulations.gov,*                     docket number USTR-2011-0022. If you are unable to provide submissions by                     *www.regulations.gov,*                     please contact Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an alternative method of transmission.                

                    To submit comments via                     *www.regulations.gov,*                     enter docket number USTR-2011-0022 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 by selecting “Notice” under “Document Type” on the left side of the search-results page, and click on the link entitled “Submit a Comment.” (For further information on using the                     *www.regulations.gov*                     Web site, please consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on “How to Use This Site” on the left side of the home page.)                

                    The                     *www.regulations.gov*                     site provides the option of providing comments by filling in a “Type Comments” field, or by attaching a document using an “upload file” field. It is expected that most comments will be provided in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type “See attached” in the “Type Comments” field.                

                    A person requesting that information contained in a comment submitted by that person be treated as confidential business information must certify that such information is business confidential and would not customarily be released to the public by the submitter. Confidential business information must be clearly designated as such and the submission must be marked “BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL” at the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page. Any comment containing business confidential information must be submitted by fax to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640. A non-confidential summary of the confidential information must be submitted to                     *www.regulations.gov.*                     The non-confidential summary will be placed in the docket and open to public inspection.                

                    Information or advice contained in a comment submitted, other than business confidential information, may be                           ( print page 2120)                        determined by USTR to be confidential in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that information or advice may qualify as such, the submitter—                

(1) Must clearly so designate the information or advice;

(2) Must clearly mark the material as “SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE” at the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page; and

(3) Must provide a non-confidential summary of the information or advice.

                    Any comment containing confidential information must be submitted by fax to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640. A non-confidential summary of the confidential information must be submitted to                     *www.regulations.gov.*                     The non-confidential summary will be placed in the docket and open to public inspection.                

                    Pursuant to section 127(e) of the URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR will maintain a docket on this dispute settlement proceeding accessible to the public. The public file will include non-confidential comments received by USTR from the public with respect to the dispute. If a dispute settlement panel is convened or in the event of an appeal from such a panel, the U.S. submissions, any non-confidential submissions, or non-confidential summaries of submissions, received from other participants in the dispute, will be made available to the public on USTR's Web site at                     *www.ustr.gov,*                     and the report of the panel, and, if applicable, the report of the Appellate Body, will be available on the Web site of the World Trade Organization,                     *www.wto.org.*                     Comments open to public inspection may be viewed on the                     *www.regulations.gov*                     Web site.                

Bradford Ward,

Acting Assistant United States Trade Representative for Monitoring and Enforcement.

[FR Doc. 2012-606 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3190-W2-P