[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64365-64366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30896]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation 332-372]


The Economic Implications of Liberalizing APEC Tariff and 
Nontariff Barriers to Trade

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation, scheduling of public symposium, 
and call for papers.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: November 25, 1996.

SUMMARY: Following receipt on November 1, 1996 of a request from the 
U.S. Trade Representative, the Commission instituted Investigation No. 
332-372, The Economic Implications of Liberalizing APEC Tariff and 
Nontariff Barriers To Trade, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)). As requested, the investigation will seek to 
provide an objective, critical report, based on a symposium to be held 
by the Commission, on the identification and assessment of the impact 
of nontariff barriers (NTBs) to trade and investment in APEC and on the 
general equilibrium modeling of APEC trade liberalization. The 
Commission will confine the investigation to studies that are already 
underway or have been recently completed. The Commission will offer the 
opportunity for all economic researchers selected for participation in 
the symposium to present their findings on the evaluation of NTBs to 
trade and investment in the APEC region and the general equilibrium 
modeling of APEC trade liberalization at the symposium. To promote an 
objective, critical assessment of this body of inquiry, economic 
researchers recognized as experts in their fields will also be 
designated to provide a critical assessment of the merits and 
limitations of the methods and data employed in the research. The final 
report will be submitted to USTR approximately six months after the 
symposium. The final report will consist of four parts: (1) an 
assessment of the principal results presented at the symposium, both 
with respect to identified trade barriers and distortions in the APEC 
area and with respect to modeling of APEC liberalization, (2) a 
compilation of the technical papers submitted in the symposium, 
together with any revisions or comments the authors may make in 
response to the critiques received in the symposium, (3) a compilation 
of the written critiques of those papers, and (4) an objective summary 
and critical evaluation by the Commission of the analytical frameworks 
and of the main findings of these papers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Benjamin, Office of Economics, 
at (202-205-3125). The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office 
of External Relations (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).

Call for Papers

    The Commission encourages all parties currently engaged in the 
evaluation of NTBs to trade and investment among APEC members or the 
general equilibrium modeling of APEC trade liberalization to present 
their work at the symposium. The purpose of the symposium is to examine 
critically, through peer review by recognized experts, studies recently 
completed or currently being developed that meet recognized academic 
standards. Research within the scope of this investigation include the 
following:
     Papers identifying and assessing the impact of barriers to 
trade and investment in the APEC region other than tariff barriers and 
quantitative

[[Page 64366]]

restrictions. This category includes any other non-tariff barriers as 
well as policies and practices with respect to regulation, intellectual 
property rights, standards and conformance, customs procedures, 
investment, oligopolistic behavior, services, and/or government 
procurement which materially limit trade and investment but for which 
there has hitherto been relatively little quantitative assessment.
     Papers emphasizing modeling of APEC trade liberalization 
with economy-wide perspectives.
     Papers which bridge and synthesize the above two areas of 
interest would be particularly welcome.
    Papers presented at the symposium must meet the following criteria:
    (1) All papers must describe any technical assumptions and methods 
employed to obtain the results presented and provide full details about 
the data and scenarios evaluated. This requirement is critical because 
the purpose of the symposium is to provide an objective critical 
assessment of this research.
    (2) The research described in papers emphasizing modeling of APEC 
trade liberalization must be economy-wide in scope, whether they are 
multi-country models or single-country models. Economy-wide models 
include all sectors of the economies represented, though with varying 
degrees of disaggregation, and allow for explicit analysis of the 
complex interactions inherent in comprehensive economic policy changes, 
such as free trade agreements, even when the focus of such analysis is 
on a particular sector. Research within the scope of this investigation 
include both (i) computable general equilibrium (CGE) trade policy 
modeling: and (ii) economy-wide, multi-sector macroeconomic models. The 
research should take into account the effects of APEC trade 
liberalization on production, income, trade, employment, and prices. 
Because scheduling will be tight, persons interested in presenting 
papers or participating as discussants should submit a curriculum vitae 
and description of the relevant research to Nancy Benjamin (202-205-
3125) or William Donnelly (202-205-3223), Research Division, Office of 
Economics, U.S. International Trade Commission, by May 30, 1997.
    Discussants will be designated to provide detailed written 
critiques of the papers reviewed. All papers to be presented must meet 
recognized academic standards. It is also required that all papers be 
technically transparent and provide technical details about the methods 
and data employed to obtain results. The final scheduling of papers and 
discussants will be made by Commission staff and will be published in a 
subsequent Federal Register notice by July 15, 1997. All papers must be 
provided to the Commission in a form ready for distribution 30 days 
prior to the symposium, and must meet the criteria outlined above.
SYMPOSIUM: The symposium will be held on September 11 and 12, 1997 at 
the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington 
DC. Members of the public may attend the symposium and there will be an 
opportunity for brief technical comments on the papers from the 
audience. Those who would like to attend the symposium are requested to 
indicate their intention by sending a letter or fax to the Office of 
Economics, U.S. International Trade Commission (fax no. 202-205-2340) 
by September 2, 1997.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: November 27, 1996.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-30896 Filed 12-03-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P