[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 232 (Friday, December 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 75334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30648]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Notice of Request for Public Comments on the Review and 
Renegotiation of the United States-Israel Agreement on Trade in 
Agricultural Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is soliciting written 
comments on U.S. objectives for upcoming negotiations on the renewal of 
the United States-Israel Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products 
(ATAP). Specifically, the TPSC is seeking comments on general 
negotiating objectives and product-specific requests.

DATES: Public comments are due by noon December 29, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
public comments, contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office 
of the USTR, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508 (202) 395-3475. 
All other questions regarding the negotiations should be addressed to 
Ned Saums, Director for Middle Eastern Affairs, Office of the USTR, 
(202) 395-3320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1985 Agreement on the Establishment of a 
Free Trade Area between the Government of Israel and the Government of 
the United States of America (FTAA) was intended to apply, in full, to 
trade in all products between the two countries. However, the United 
States and Israel held differing interpretations as to the meaning of 
certain rights and obligations related to agricultural products under 
the FTAA. In the interest of achieving practical improvements in 
agricultural trade between the two countries, the United States and 
Israel in November 1996 signed the Agreement on Trade in Agricultural 
Products (ATAP). The ATAP, an adjunct to the FTAA, is a five-year 
agreement, expiring on December 31, 2001.
    According to the ATAP, U.S. agricultural products exported to 
Israel are divided into three categories: (1) Products which are exempt 
from tariffs, (2) products which are exempt from tariffs within certain 
quantities, (3) products which are imported at a preferential tariff 
rate. Israeli agricultural products are treated differently under the 
ATAP. Following the implementation of the 1985 FTAA, most Israeli 
agricultural products exported to the U.S. had duty-free access to the 
U.S. market. Therefore, duty-free quota allocations, in excess of U.S. 
WTO commitments, are the principle concessions granted to Israeli 
products as a result of the ATAP. Not later than January 31, 2001, The 
United States and Israel have committed to initiate a review of the 
operation of the ATAP and to seek further improvements. In preparation, 
USTR is soliciting detailed written comments, including data and 
arguments, addressing:
    (a) General and product-specific negotiating objectives for the 
ATAP;
    (b) Economic costs and benefits to U.S. producers and exporters 
related to the reduction or removal of current restrictions to the 
Israeli agricultural market;
    (c) Product-specific export interests or barriers (described by 
Harmonized Tariff System numbers);
    (d) Detailed accounts of particular trade-restrictive measures that 
should be addressed in the negotiations; and,
    (e) Other relevant issues, including potential environmental 
implications of the proposed agreement.

Written Comments

    Persons submitting written comments should provide twenty (20) 
copies no later than noon, December 29, 2000, to Gloria Blue at the 
address listed above. Where possible, please supplement written 
comments with a computer disk of the submission containing as much of 
the technical details as possible either in spreadsheet or word 
processing table format, with each tariff line/services sector in a 
separate cell. The disk should have a label identifying the software 
used and the submitter.
    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 in the USTR Reading 
Room (Room 101) at the address noted above. An appointment to review 
the file may be made by calling Brenda Webb at (202) 395-6186. The 
Reading Room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 1 
p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
    Business confidential information, including any information 
submitted on disks, will be subject to the requirements of 15 CFR 
2003.6. Any business confidential material must be clearly marked as 
such on the cover letter or page and each succeeding page, and must be 
accompanied by a non-confidential summary thereof. If the submission 
contains business confidential information, twenty copies of a public 
version that does not contain confidential information, must 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 each succeeding page 
of the submission. The version that does not contain confidential 
information should also be clearly marked, at the top and bottom of 
each page, ``public version'' or ``non-confidential.''

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Policy Coordination.
[FR Doc. 00-30648 Filed 11-30-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P