[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3217]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 11, 1994]
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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Termination of Sanctions With Respect of Japan Pursuant to Title
VII of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Termination of sanctions scheduled to be imposed on Japan
pursuant to Title VII of the Omnibus Trade and Competitive Act of 1988.
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SUMMARY: On January 19, 1994, the United States Trade Representative
announced the termination of sanctions, scheduled to go into effect on
Japanese goods and services on January 20, 1994, under Title VII of the
Omnibus Trade and Competitive Act of 1988, on the basis of an
announcement by the Government of Japan of an action plan to reform its
public sector construction market.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendy Silberman, Office of Japan and
China Affairs (202-395-3900), or Laura B. Sherman, Office of the
General Counsel (202-395-3150), Office of the United States Trade
Representative, 600 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20506.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 30, 1993, the Administration
formally identified Japan under Title VII of the Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act of 1988 (19 U.S.C. 2515, as amended) as a country
that maintains, in government procurement of construction,
architectural and engineering services, a significant and persistent
pattern or practice of discrimination against U.S. products or services
that results in identifiable harm to U.S. businesses. At that time, on
behalf of the President, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced
the postponement of imposition of Title VII sanctions until November 1,
1993 on the grounds that the Government of Japan had agreed to
negotiate based on a U.S. proposal to significantly revise the Major
Projects Arrangement and to address the identified discriminatory
practices.
Implementation of sanctions was further postponed until January 20,
1994, after the Government of Japan announced on October 26, 1993 an
outline of an action plan to reform its public sector construction
market, which would address the discrimination identified by the United
States. On January 18, 1994, the Government of Japan published an
action plan to reform its public sector construction market. The plan
and an accompanying exchange of letters between the United States and
Japan address all the major U.S. concerns in the Japanese public works
sector. The USTR concluded that implementation of the plan will
eliminate the discrimination identified under Title VII. Based on a
delegation of authority from the President, the USTR terminated
sanctions on January 19, 1994. A copy of the USTR's determination is
attached.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
Determination Under Title VII of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
Act
On June 30, 1993, the United States formally identified Japan
under Title VII of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988
(19 U.S.C. 2515, as amended) as a country that maintains, in
government procurement of construction, architectural and
engineering services, a significant and persistent pattern or
practice of discrimination against U.S. products or services that
results in identifiable harm to U.S. businesses. At that time, on
behalf of the President, I announced the postponement of imposition
of Title VII sanctions until November 1, 1993 on the grounds that
the Government of Japan had agreed to negotiate based on a U.S.
proposal to significantly revise the Major Projects Arrangement and
to address the identified discriminatory practices.
Implementation of sanctions was further postponed until January
20, 1994, after the Government of Japan announced on October 26,
1993 an outline of an action plan to reform its public sector
construction market, which would address the discrimination
identified by the United States. On January 18, 1994, the Government
of Japan published a detailed action plan to reform its public
sector construction market. The plan and an accompanying exchange of
letters between the United States and Japan represent a significant
change in the Japanese Government procurement and regulatory
practices in the procurement of construction, design and engineering
services and address all the major U.S. concerns in the Japanese
public works sector.
Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the President of the
United States by Presidential Determination No. 94-12 of January 16,
1994, I determined that implementation of the Japanese action plan
will eliminate the discrimination identified under Title VII and
terminated sanctions effective January 19, 1994.
Dated: January 28, 1994.
Michael Kantor,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 94-3217 Filed 2-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M