[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 71 (Thursday, April 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18851-18852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9088]



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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation 332-359]


Chile: Probable Economic Effect on U.S. Imports, Industries, 
Consumers, and Exports of Accession to the North American Free Trade 
Agreement and Report on Services Trade

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of public hearing.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 6, 1995.

SUMMARY: Following receipt on March 8, 1995, of a request from the U.S. 
Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted investigation 
No. 332-359, Chile: Probable Economic Effect on U.S. Imports, 
Industries, Consumers, and Exports of Accession to the North American 
Free Trade Agreement and Report on Services Trade, under section 332(g) 
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) for the purpose of--
    (a) Advising the President, with respect to each item in chapters 1 
through 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTS), as to the probable economic effect of providing, under the North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), duty-free treatment for imports 
of products of Chile on industries in the United States producing like 
or directly competitive articles and on consumers;
    (b) Advising the President, with respect to each product sector, of 
the probable economic effect on U.S. exports to Chile of the removal of 
Chilean import duties under the NAFTA; and
    (c) Preparing a report on U.S. service transactions with Chile that 
would (1) provide an overview of the nature and extent of such 
transactions; (2) highlight key U.S. service industries that export 
services to Chile; (3) identify principal nontariff barriers that 
impede the participation of U.S. services providers in the Chilean 
market; and (4) assess the effects of such barriers on U.S. service 
providers.
    As requested by the USTR, the advice will assume that U.S. 
nontariff measures that are incompatible with the NAFTA will not be 
applicable to such imports, and the Commission will note in its report 
any instance in which the continued application of a U.S. nontariff 
measure would result in different advice with respect to the effect of 
the removal of the duty.
    Similarly at the request of the USTR, the advice with respect to 
the removal of Chilean duties on U.S. products will assume that any 
known Chilean nontariff measures incompatible with the rules of the 
NAFTA will not be applicable to U.S. products, and any instance where 
the continued application of such a Chilean nontariff measure would 
result in different advice will be noted by the Commission.
    The Commission expects to submit its report by September 8, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Information on general topics may be obtained 
from the project leader, Mr. James Lukes, Office of Industries (202-
205-3426) or the assistant project leader, Ms. Gail Burns, Office of 
Industries (202-205-2501) and on legal aspects, from Mr. William 
Gearhart, Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091). The media 
should contact Ms. Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of Public Affairs (202-
205-1819). Hearing impaired individuals are advised that information on 
this matter can be obtained by contacting the TDD terminal on (202-205-
1810). For information on a product basis, contact the appropriate 
member of the Commission's Office of Industries, as follows:

(1) Agricultural and forest products, Mr. Douglas Newman (202-205-3328)
(2) Chemical, energy-related, textile, apparel, and footwear products, 
Mr. Lee Cook (202-205-3471)
(3) Minerals, metals, machinery, and miscellaneous manufactures, Ms. 
Gail Burns (202-205-2501)
(4) Electronic and transportation products, Ms. Deborah McNay (202-205-
3425)
(5) Service industries, Mr. Christopher Melly (202-205-3461)

Background

    The request letter noted that at the conclusion of the Summit of 
the Americas meeting in Miami in December, President Clinton, the Prime 
Minister of Canada, and the Presidents of Mexico and Chile jointly 
announced their decision to begin the process by which Chile will 
accede to the NAFTA. The announcement also stated that the Ministers 
responsible for trade from the four countries would meet by May 31, 
1995, and that accession negotiations would begin expeditiously 
thereafter. The USTR indicated in his request letter that the 
Commission's assistance is needed in the work of preparing for these 
negotiations.
    The USTR requested that the Commission provide its advice with 
respect to the removal of U.S. tariffs as if this request had been made 
pursuant to section 131 of the Trade Act (the Trade Act). If trade 
agreement negotiating and legislative procedures 

[[Page 18852]]
requiring advice under section 131 of the Trade Act are enacted by 
Congress prior to completion of the Commission's report, the USTR 
indicated in the request letter that he will request that the advice 
with respect to U.S. tariffs be converted to a report under section 
131. If trade agreement negotiating and legislative procedures 
requiring advice under section 131 of the Trade Act are enacted by 
Congress after the report is completed, the request letter indicated 
that the Commission will be requested to provide such advice under 
section 131.

Public Hearing

    A public hearing in connection with the investigation will be held 
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 19, 1995, and 
continuing, as required, on July 20. All persons shall have the right 
to appear, by counsel or in person, to present information and to be 
heard. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with 
the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20436, no later than 5:15 p.m., July 7, 1995. 
Any prehearing briefs (original and 14 copies) should be filed not 
later than 5:15 p.m., July 10, 1995; the deadline for filing post-
hearing briefs or statements is 5:15 p.m., July 25, 1995.
    In the event that, as of the close of business on July 7, 1995, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be 
cancelled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an 
observer or non-participant may call the Secretary to the Commission 
(202-205-2000) after July 7, 1995, to determine whether the hearing 
will be held.
    Because the Commission expects to provide detailed advice on 
narrowly defined industries and product lines, testimony and briefs 
should focus on specific industries and products rather than broad 
issues of trade policy. In the context of specific industries and 
products, the Commission is interested in receiving information on 
existing nontariff barriers to trade with Chile.
    Requests to appear at the hearings must contain the following 
information:
    a. A description of the article or articles on which testimony will 
be presented, including, if possible, the item number or numbers in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (1995) covering the 
article or articles.
    b. The name and organization of the witness or witnesses who will 
testify, and the name, address, telephone number, and organization of 
the person filing the request.
    c. A statement indicating whether the testimony to be presented 
will be on behalf of importers, domestic producers, consumers, or other 
interests.

Written Submissions

    In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, 
interested parties are invited to submit written statements concerning 
the matters to be addressed by the Commission in its report on this 
investigation. Commercial or financial information that a submitter 
desires the Commission to treat as confidential must be submitted on 
separate sheets of paper, each clearly marked ``Confidential Business 
Information'' at the top. All submissions requesting confidential 
treatment must conform with the requirements of Sec. 201.6 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6).
    Because the Commission intends to use the information collected in 
the course of the section 332 investigation in the section 131(b) 
investigation, should one be requested, the Commission requests that 
all such requests for confidential treatment filed in connection with 
the section 332 investigation contain the following consent statement: 
``I consent to the use of this confidential business information by the 
Commission in preparing its advice to the President on this matter 
under section 131(b) of the Trade Act of 1974.'' Submissions requesting 
confidential treatment not containing this consent statement will be 
returned to the submitter. Any grant of confidential treatment to 
information received in the section 332 investigation would continue to 
apply to such information if it is used in the section 131(b) 
investigation.
    All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary to 
the Commission for inspection by interested parties. To be assured of 
consideration by the Commission, written statements relating to the 
Commission's report should be submitted to the Commission at the 
earliest practical date and should be received no later than the close 
of business on July 25, 1995. All submissions should be addressed to 
the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.
    Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance 
in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000.

    Issued: April 7, 1995.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-9088 Filed 4-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P