### 26334 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 88 / Friday, May 6, 2011 / Notices

VACS–D at http://www.state.gov/ documents/organization/100305.pdf for additional information. Persons who cannot participate in the meeting but who wish to comment on the draft Federal implementing legislation are welcome to do so by e-mail to Keith Loken at lokenk@state.gov. A member of the public needing reasonable accommodation should advise the contact persons identified above not later than June 8th. Requests made after that date will be considered, but might not be able to be fulfilled. If you are unable to attend the public meeting in person and would like to participate by teleconferencing, please contact Tricia Smeltzer or Niesha Toms at 202–776– 8420 to receive the conference call-in number and the relevant information.

Dated: April 28, 2011.
Keith Loken, Assistant Legal Adviser, Office of Private International Law, Office of the Legal Adviser, Department of State.

[FR Doc. 2011–11120 Filed 5–5–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–08–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF STATE**

**[Public Notice: 7399]**

**Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Meeting Notice** 

Closed Meeting

The Department of State announces a meeting of the U.S. State Department— Overseas Security Advisory Council on June 7 and 8. Pursuant to Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix), 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4), and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(7)(E), it has been determined that the meeting will be closed to the public. The meeting will focus on an examination of corporate security policies and procedures and will involve extensive discussion of trade secrets and proprietary commercial information that is privileged and confidential, and will discuss law enforcement investigative techniques and procedures. The agenda will include updated committee reports, a global threat overview, and other matters relating to private sector security policies and protective programs and the protection of U.S. business information overseas.

For more information, contact Marsha Thurman, Overseas Security Advisory Council, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20522–2008, phone:

571–345–2214. Dated: April 20, 2011. Jeffrey W. Culver, Director of the Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of State.

[FR Doc. 2011–11123 Filed 5–5–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–24–P**

**OFFICE OF THE TRADE REPRESENTATIVE** 

**Request for Comments on Possible Negotiations in the World Trade**  **Organization To Expand the Information Technology Agreement,**  **Including Its Product Coverage**

**AGENCY :**  Office of the United States Trade Representative.

**ACTION :**  Notice and request for

comments.

**SUMMARY :**  The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting comments from the public on whether the United States should undertake negotiations to expand the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and, if so: (1) Which additional information and communications technology (ICT) products the United States should seek to include and provide duty-free treatment under the ITA, including both products that existed when the ITA was concluded in 1996 but that were not covered under the agreement as well as products that have been developed since then; and (2) which U.S. trading partners that are significant producers or consumers of ICT products that are not currently participants in the ITA the United States should seek to have join the ITA. The TPSC will consider public comments in formulating U.S. positions and objectives regarding possible negotiations to expand the ITA.

**DATES :**  Public comments are due by noon, June 13, 2011.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Scott Pietan (Director for Industrial Trade Policy) or Mary Thornton (Director for Tariff Affairs), Office of Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness, Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), 600 17th St., NW., Washington, DC 20508, telephone (202) 395–5656, Fax (202) 395–9674.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Any amendments to the ITA resulting from negotiations to expand the agreement will be subject to approval by its current participants.
Background Information

In December 1996, United States and 36 other countries and separate customs territories reached agreement to eliminate tariffs on a wide range of ICT products. The resulting agreement, the Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (also termed the Information Technology Agreement, or ITA) was implemented under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The number of ITA participants has since grown to 73, reflecting a significant increase in participation by developing countries, and currently representing approximately 97 percent of world trade in ITA products. However, many countries still remain outside of the agreement. Current participants include: Albania; Australia; Bahrain; Canada; China; Chinese Taipei; Costa Rica; Croatia; Dominican Republic; Egypt; El Salvador; European Union (on behalf of its 27 Member States); Georgia; Guatemala; Honduras; Hong Kong; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Korea; Kuwait; Kyrgyz Republic; Macao; Malaysia; Mauritius; Moldova; Morocco; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Norway; Oman; Panama; Peru; Philippines; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Switzerland and Liechtenstein; Thailand; Turkey; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United States; and Vietnam. Any WTO Member or any State or separate customs territory in the process of acceding to the WTO may become a participant in the ITA.

The ITA requires participants to eliminate import duties on covered products. The elimination of duties under the agreement has helped to generate substantial growth in ICT trade. Industry sources estimate that global trade in products currently covered under the ITA grew from $1.2 trillion in 1996 to $4.0 trillion in 2008.

The ITA currently covers computers and computer equipment, semiconductors and integrated circuits, computer software products, telecommunications equipment, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and computer-based analytical instruments. The list of covered products has not been expanded since the ITA was concluded in 1996. Detailed information on the ITA, including the text of the agreement and its annexes specifying the products the agreement covers, can be found online at: http://www.wto.org/english/ tratop

_ e/inftec

_ e/inftec

_ e.htm.

Comments From the Public

The TPSC, led by USTR, is considering a proposal by industry stakeholders to expand the scope of the ITA significantly to provide duty-free treatment for a broader range of products and encourage wider participation in the agreement.