Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 1995 / Notices 26745

Dated: May 12, 1995.

Anthony F. Ingrassia,

Chairman, Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee.

[FR Doc. 95–12273 Filed 5–17–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee; Cancellation of Open

Committee Meeting

According to the provisions of section

10 of the Federal Advisory Committee

Act (Pub. L. 92–463), notice is hereby

given that the meeting of the Federal

Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee

scheduled for Thursday, May 25, 1995,

has been canceled.

Information on other meetings can be

obtained by contacting the Committee’s

Secretary, Office of Personnel

Management, Federal Prevailing Rate

Advisory Committee, Room 1340, 1900

E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415,

(202) 606–1500.

Dated: May 12, 1995.

Anthony F. Ingrassia,

Chairman, Federal Prevailing Rate, Advisory

Committee.

[FR Doc. 95–12274 Filed 5–17–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket No. 301–93]

Notice of Determination and Request

for Public Comment Concerning

Proposed Determination of Action

Pursuant to Section 301: Barriers to

Access to the Auto Parts Replacement

Market in Japan

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of determination under

section 304(a)(1)(A) of the Trade Act of

1974, as amended (Trade Act) (19 U.S.C.

2414(a)(1)(A)); notice of proposed

determination of action to be taken

under section 304(a)(1)(B) of the Trade

Act and notice of public hearing and

request for public comment pursuant to

section 304(b) of the Trade Act.

SUMMARY: The United States Trade

Representative (USTR) has determined

pursuant to section 304(a)(1)(A)(ii) of

the Trade Act that certain Acts, policies

and practices of Japan that restrict or

deny suppliers of U.S. auto parts access

to the auto parts replacement and

accessories market (‘‘after-market’’) in

Japan are unreasonable and

discriminatory and burden or restrict

U.S. commerce. The USTR is seeking

public comment and will hold a public

hearing on June 8 and 9, 1995, regarding

the proposed determination pursuant to

section 304(a)(1)(B) on the appropriate

action under section 301 being

considered in response to these acts,

policies and practices.

DATES: Written comments on the

determination are due by noon,

Monday, June 19, 1995. Requests to

testify at the hearing must be submitted

by noon, Thursday, May 25, 1995.

Written testimony is due by noon,

Friday, June 2, 1995, and written

rebuttals are due by noon, Wednesday,

June 21, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Office of the United States

Trade Representative, 600 17th Street

NW., Washington, DC 20506.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Burns, Senior Advisor for Japan,

(202) 395–5050, or James Southwick,

Assistant General Counsel, (202) 395–

7203. Questions about the public

hearing, written testimony and written

comments should be directed to Sybia

Harrison, Staff Assistant to Section 301

Committee, (202) 395–3432.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

October 1, 1994, the USTR initiated an

investigation pursuant to section 302(b)

of the Trade Act to determine whether

specific barriers to access to the aftermarket for auto parts in Japan are

unreasonable or discriminatory and

burden or restrict U.S. commerce. By

Federal Register notice dated October

13, 1994 (59 FR 52034), the USTR

requested public comment on the issues

raised in the investigation. The

comment period was subsequently

extended by a Federal Register notice

dated November 10, 1994 (59 FR 56099).

Officials of the Office of the USTR

and other United States agencies have

conducted extensive consultations with

Japanese government officials

concerning these market access barriers,

but negotiations have failed to resolve

the issues under investigation.

Consequently, on May 10, 1995, the

USTR pursuant to section

304(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Trade Act

determined that certain acts, policies

and practices of Japan that restrict or

deny suppliers of U.S. auto parts access

to the auto parts replacement and

accessories market (‘‘after-market’’) in

Japan are unreasonable and

discriminatory and burden or restrict

U.S. commerce.

Reasons for Determination

The Japanese market for replacement

auto parts is restricted by a complex

system that is not reasonable or

justifiable. This system channels most

repair work to government-certified

garages that use very few foreign parts,

and the system restricts the

development of other garages more

likely to carry and use foreign parts. In

addition, even minor additions of

accessories to motor vehicles require a

full vehicle inspection and tax payment,

which severely limits opportunities for

U.S. automotive accessories suppliers.

The United States pressed Japan for

broad reform in the aftermarket. The

U.S. proposals did not ask for reduction

of safety or environmental standards,

but for measures that would allow for

substantially more repair work to be

performed outside the certified garages,

and therefore would open up

opportunities for foreign suppliers. The

Government of Japan was unwilling to

make changes to key elements of the

system which restricts opportunities for

U.S. and other foreign parts suppliers.

Proposed Determination on

Appropriate Action

If the USTR makes an affirmative

determination pursuant to section

304(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Trade Act,

pursuant to section 304(a)(1)(B) the

USTR also must determine what action,

if any, by the United States is

appropriate. If the USTR determines

that action is appropriate, section 301(b)

of the Trade Act directs the USTR to

take all appropriate and feasible action

to obtain the elimination of the

unreasonable or discriminatory act,

policy or practice.

Therefore, the USTR proposes to take

the following action, pursuant to the

authority provided by section

301(c)(1)(B) of the Trade Act:

To impose prohibitive (100 percent ad

valorem) duties upon luxury-type motor

vehicles from Japan. The increased

tariffs will apply to the following motor

cars and other motor vehicles

principally designed for the transport of

persons provided for in heading 8703 of

the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the

United States (HTS):

(1) Motor vehicles having 4 doors, a

wheelbase more than 260 cm (102.4

inches) but not more than 263 cm (103.6

inches), a curb weight more than 1,495

kg (3,295.9 pounds), a height not more

than 138 cm (54.3 inches), and a sparkignition internal combustion

reciprocating piston engine with 6 or

more cylinders, having a total cylinder

capacity exceeding 2,900 cc or a rotary

piston engine (provided for in HTS

subheadings 8703.23, 8703.24 or

8703.90); and

(2) Motor vehicles having a wheelbase

exceeding 266 cm (104.7 inches), a curb

weight more than 1,365 kg (3009.3

pounds), a height not more than 145 cm

(57 inches), and either a spark-ignition