[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45695-45696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21697]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
U.S.-Argentina Business Development Council and U.S.-Brazil
Business Development Council--Standards Working Groups
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, DOC.
ACTION: Notice of Open Discussion Roundtable and Standards Seminar
Organized by the U.S.-Argentina Business Development Council Standards
Working Group and the U.S.-Brazil Business Development Council
Standards Working Group.
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SUMMARY: On January 25, 1995, Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and
Argentine Minister of Economy and Public Works and Services Domingo
Cavallo signed the Terms of Reference to create the U.S.-Argentina
Business Development Council (A-BDC). On March 23, 1995, Secretary of
Commerce Ronald H. Brown and Brazilian Minister of External Relations
Luiz Felipe Lampreia signed the Terms of Reference to create the U.S.-
Brazil Business Development Council (B-BDC). The purpose of the BDCs,
which are bilateral, public-private sector councils, is to provide a
forum for cooperation through which U.S. and respectively, Argentine
and Brazilian (Argentine/Brazilian) representatives can exchange
information on commercial matters and encourage discussion on various
themes related to bilateral business development and trade promotion.
The BDCs are comprised of U.S. and Argentine/Brazilian sections.
The U.S. sections are comprised of U.S. Government officials and senior
level representatives of U.S. companies with commercial interest and
experience in Argentina/Brazil. The activities of the BDCs may include,
but are not limited to. the following: identifying commercial
opportunities, impediments and issues of concern to the U.S. and
Argentine/Brazilian business communities; improving dissemination of
information on U.S.-Argentine/Brazilian market opportunities;
developing sectoral or project oriented approaches to expanding
bilateral business opportunities; implementing bilateral trade and
business development programs; and other appropriate steps to foster
bilateral commercial relations.
To implement these activities, the BDCs have formed various working
groups, including Standards Working Groups (``Standards Groups'') in
each BDC. The two Standards Groups intend to implement a program to
encourage use of internationally accepted standards and conformity
assessment practices and to enhance the efficiency of U.S.-Argentine/
Brazilian commerce by identifying possible solutions to standards-
related impediments.
DATES: The standards discussion roundtable will be held on Tuesday,
September 19, 1995 at 1:30 P.M. The standards seminar is scheduled for
Tuesday, November 28, 1995.
ADDRESSES: The standards discussion roundtable will be held at the U.S.
Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, Auditorium, 14th
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. The standards
seminar will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(1) Regarding the A-BDC generally--Carrie B. Clark, Argentina Desk,
(202) 482-0477;
(2) Regarding the B-BDC generally--Laura Zeiger-Hatfield, Brazil Desk,
(202) 482-0428;
(3) Regarding both BDC Standards Groups and the Discussion Roundtable--
Dr. Stanley I. Warshaw, Senior Policy Advisor for Standards and
Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, HCHB Room 3527, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-5620 or
5853, Fax: (202) 482-5444, Internet: W[email protected];
(4) Regarding the Standards Seminar--Mr. John L. Donaldson, Chief,
Standards Code and Information Program, U.S. Department of Commerce,
National Institute of Standards and Technology, TB 417, Room 109,
Gaithersburg MD 20899, (301)975-4030, Fax: (301)963-2871, Internet:
D[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Open Standards Discussion Roundtable Organized by the A-BDC and B-BDC
Standards Groups
The U.S. sections of the BDC Standards Groups will host a
roundtable to generate a broad private sector discussion of standards-
related issues that may be considered by the A-BDC and B-BDC Standards
Groups in preparation for future bilateral meetings scheduled to take
place, respectively in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. The standards
seminar will be open to all interested participants.
Open Standards Seminar
The BDCs will organize a standards seminar. In accordance with the
public--private sector partnership embodied in the BDCs, the seminar is
being organized and cosponsored by the International Trade
Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology
of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Argentina's National Institute of
Industrial Technology, Brazil's National Institute of Metrology,
Standardization and Industrial Quality, and the A-BDC and B-BDC
Standards Groups. The standards seminar will be open to all interested
participants.
Contact Information
Those interested in attending the standards roundtable discussion
or in submitting written comments on standards issues relevant to U.S.-
Argentine/Brazilian commerce and/or in participating in the standards
seminar in Buenos Aires should contact the relevant persons listed
above.
Authority: Act of February 14, 1903, c. 552, as amended, 15
U.S.C. Sec. 1501 et seq., 32 Stat. 825.
[[Page 45696]]
Dated: August 25, 1995.
Walter M. Bastian, III,
Director, Office of Latin America and the Caribbean.
[FR Doc. 95-21697 Filed 8-31-95; 8:45 am]
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