[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55614-55615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27120]



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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Public Comment With Respect to the Annual National 
Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 303 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984, 
as amended, USTR is required to publish annually the National Trade 
Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE). With this notice, the 
Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting interested parties to 
assist it in identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods, 
services and overseas direct investment for inclusion in the NTE. 
Particularly important are impediments materially affecting the actual 
and potential financial performance of an industry sector. The TPSC 
invites written comments which provide views relevant to the issues to 
be examined in preparing the NTE.

DATES: Public comments are due not later than noon on November 30, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: Carolyn Frank, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff 
Committee, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th 
Street NW., Room 501, Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Panulas, Associate Director for Policy Coordination, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, (202) 395-9599.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information submitted should relate to 
one or more of the following nine categories of foreign trade barriers:
    (1) Import policies (e.g., tariffs and other import charges, 
quantitative restrictions, import licensing, and customs barriers);
    (2) Standards, testing, labeling, and certification (including 
unnecessary restrictive application of phytosanitary standards, refusal 
to accept U.S. certification of conformance to foreign 

[[Page 55615]]
product standards, and environmental restrictions);
    (3) Government procurement (e.g., ``buy national'' policies and 
closed bidding);
    (4) Export subsidies (e.g., export financing on preferential terms 
and agricultural export subsidies);
    (5) Lack of intellectual property protection (e.g., inadequate 
patent, copyright, and trademark regimes);
    (6) Services barriers (e.g., limits on the range of financial 
services offered by foreign financial institutions, regulations of 
international data flows, restrictions on the use of data processing, 
and quotas on imports of foreign films, and barriers to the provision 
of services by professionals (e.g., lawyers, doctors, accountants, 
engineers, nurses, etc.));
    (7) Investment barriers (e.g., limitations on foreign equity 
participation and on access to foreign government-funded R&D consortia, 
local content, technology transfer and export performance requirements, 
and restrictions on repatriation of earnings, capital, fees and 
royalties);
    (8) Lack of government action against: (a) anticompetitive 
practices of state-owned and private firms that restrict the sale of 
U.S. products and services, and (b) corrupt practices (including 
illicit payments) that may result in lost opportunities for U.S. 
suppliers of goods and services; and
    (9) Other barriers (i.e., barriers that encompass more than one 
category listed above or that affect a single sector).
    In comparison with last year's NTE, we are asking that particular 
emphasis be placed on any practices that may violate U.S. trade 
agreements. In addition, this year's report will include information 
concerning whether foreign governments have in place adequate laws and 
regulations to combat corrupt practices, such as the bribery of public 
officials, in connection with government purchase and licensing 
decisions.
    We are also interested in receiving any new or updated information 
pertinent to the barriers covered in last year's report as well as 
those being added this year. Please note that the information not used 
in the NTE will be maintained for use in future negotiations.
    It is MOST IMPORTANT that your submission contain estimates of the 
potential increase in exports that would result from the removal of the 
barrier, as well as a clear discussion of the method(s) by which the 
estimates were computed. Estimates should fall within the following 
value ranges: under $5 million; $5 million to $25 million; $25 million 
to $50 million; $50 million to $100 million; $100 million to $500 
million; or over $500 million. Such assessments enhance USTR's ability 
to conduct meaningful comparative analyses of a barrier's effect over a 
range of industries.
    Please note that interested parties discussing barriers in more 
than one country should provide a separate submission (i.e., one that 
is self-contained) for each country.

Written Comments

    All written comments should be addressed to: Carolyn Frank, 
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street N.W., Room 501 Washington, 
D.C. 20508.
    All submissions must be in English and should conform to the 
information requirements of 15 CFR 2003.
    A party must provide ten copies of its submission which must be 
received at USTR no later than noon on November 30, 1995. If the 
submission contains business confidential information, ten copies of a 
non-confidential version must also be submitted. A justification as to 
why the information contained in the submission should be treated 
confidentially must be included in the submission. In addition, any 
submissions containing business confidential information must be 
clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page 
(or letter) and of each succeeding page of the submission. The version 
that does not contain confidential information should also be clearly 
marked, at the top and bottom of each page, ``public version'' or 
``non-confidential.''
    Written comments submitted in connection with this request, except 
for information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 
CFR 2003.6, will be available for public inspection shortly after the 
filing deadline. Inspection is by appointment only with the staff of 
the USTR Public Reading Room and can be arranged by calling (202) 395-
6186.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-27120 Filed 10-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M