[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 212 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55743-55744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27206]



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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on U.S. 
Negotiations With the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, 
Concerning Their Respective Accessions to the World Trade Organization 
(WTO)

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting written 
public comments with respect to market access issues, including but not 
limited to tariffs, non-tariff measures and trade in services, related 
to the accessions of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to the WTO. Comments 
received will be considered by the Executive Branch in developing U.S. 
positions and objectives for the multilateral and bilateral 
negotiations that will determine the terms of WTO accession for each of 
the countries.

DATES: Public comments are due by noon December 1, 1995.

ADDRESS: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTRACT: Barbara Chattin, Director for Tariff 
Negotiations (202-395-5097), Peter Collins, Deputy Assistant USTR for 
Services and Investment (202-395-7271) or Cecilia Leahy Klein, Director 
for WTO Affairs (202-395-3063), Office of the U.S. Trade 
Representative.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chairman of the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee invites written comments from the public on the market 
access-related issues to be addressed in the course of negotiations 
with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for their respective accession to 
the WTO. These terms will be negotiated separately for each country in 
bilateral meetings with government representatives and in meetings of 
the Working Party, established by the members of the WTO to conduct the 
negotiations.
    The Committee is seeking public comments on the possible effect on 
U.S. trade of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania's accession to the WTO, 
with particular reference to any currently applied trade measure that 
could be subject to the provisions of the WTO, particularly market 
access issues for goods and services. Market access issues for goods 
include, but are not limited to, tariff reductions, border measures 
such as quotas or import licenses, customs 

[[Page 55744]]
processing issues such as valuation and certification requirements, 
plant and animal health requirements, food standards, restrictions 
maintained through state trading enterprises, and other laws or 
procedures that currently affect exports from the United States (e.g., 
subsidies, transparency, uniform application of the trading system, 
national treatment, trade performance requirements associated with 
investment). Market access issues for services include, but are not 
limited to, the right of establishment for U.S. services providers, the 
ability to provide services on a cross-border basis, and the ability of 
persons to enter temporarily to provide services.
    All comments will be considered in developing U.S. positions and 
objectives for a request of each government in the areas of 
agriculture, industrial goods, and trade in services. Information on 
products or practices subject to these negotiations should include, 
whenever appropriate, the import or export tariff classification number 
used by Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania for the product concerned 
(generally based on the tariff nomenclature of the European Union at 
the 8 digit-level).
    Persons submitting written comments should provide a statement, in 
twenty copies, by noon, Friday, December 1, 1995, to Carolyn Frank, 
Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 
Room 501, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20508. Non-
confidential information received will be available for public 
inspection by appointment, in the USTR Reading Room, Room 101, Monday 
through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for 
an appointment call Brenda Webb on 202-395-6186. Business confidential 
information will be subject to the requirements of 15 CFR 2003.6. Any 
business confidential material must be clearly marked as such on the 
cover letter or page and each succeeding page, and must be accompanied 
by a non-confidential summary thereof.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-27206 Filed 11-1-95;8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M