[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 8506-8507] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-4646] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on the Accession of Vietnam to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and on U.S. Participation in Negotiations for the Terms of Those Accessions AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting written public comments concerning U.S. commercial interests and other issues related to the accession of Vietnam to the WTO. Public comments should include, but not be limited to, information concerning that country's current trade policies and practices which affect (A) market access for U.S. exports, e.g., tariffs, non-tariff measures; (B) trade and investment in services, (C) other aspects of its trade regime affecting U.S. trade interests subject to WTO provisions, and (D) conditions or practices that impair the ability of WTO provisions to be applied on a reciprocal basis in Vietnam's trade regime. Comments received will be considered in developing U.S. positions and objectives for the multilateral and bilateral negotiations that will determine the terms of WTO accession for Vietnam to the World Trade Organization. DATES: Public comments are due by noon on Friday, March 28, 1997. ADDRESSES: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20508. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Chattin, Director for Tariff Negotiations (202-395-5097), Peter Collins, Deputy Assistant USTR for Services and Investment (202-395- 7271), Joe Damond, Director for South East Asia (202-395-6813), or Cecilia Leahy Klein, Director for WTO Accessions (202-395-9437), Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Chairman of the Trade Policy Staff Committee invites written comments from the public on market access and other issues to be addressed in the course of negotiations with Vietnam to the WTO. Vietnam applied for WTO accession in January 1995. At that time, a Working Party was established by the WTO General Council to review the application and to conduct negotiations with Vietnam for the terms of its WTO membership. The United States will participate in the Working Party deliberations and in bilateral negotiations with Vietnam as part of the accession process. All comments received will be considered in developing U.S. positions and objectives for participation in these negotiations, the establishment of schedules of commitments and concessions in the areas of agriculture, industrial goods, and trade and investment in services, and for the development of the elements of the protocol of accession for Vietnam to the WTO. The Committee is seeking public comments on the possible affect on U.S. trade of the accession of Vietnam to the WTO, with reference to tariffs applied to imports and any other trade measures currently applied by that country that could be subject to the provisions of the WTO; particularly market access issues for goods and services, or practices that could affect the competitiveness of U.S. goods and services in that market. Issues of interest to the TPSC include, but are not limited to: (a) comments on possible tariff reductions and the removal of border measures such as quotas or import licensing requirements; (b) uniform application of the trading system; (c) the provision of national treatment and nondiscriminatory treatment for imports, especially in the area of domestic taxation; (d) transparency in application of trade laws and regulations; (e) right of appeal in cases involving application of trade laws and other laws relating to WTO provisions, such as protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) and services; (f) customs processing issues, such as document certification prior to export, fees, customs valuation, and certification requirements; (g) industrial export and [[Page 8507]] domestic subsidies; (h) agricultural export subsidies and domestic supports and incentives; (i) safeguard and unfair trade practice procedures applied to imports; (j) plant, animal, and human health and safety requirements; (k) requirements for and restrictions on the right to import and export goods: (l) technical barriers to trade; (m) utilization of preshipment inspection services; (n) activities of state trading enterprises, including restrictions and other trade-distorting practices made effective through state trading; (o) price controls, two-tier pricing, and other price policies; (p) foreign exchange controls that act as barriers to trade and investment; (q) membership in preferential trade arrangements, free trade arrangements, or customs unions; (r) government procurement practices; (s) policies concerning trade in civil aircraft; (t) the trade-related aspects of investment policies, and (u) the protection and enforcement of intellectual property. Market access issues for services include, but are not limited to, the right of establishment for U.S. services providers, the right to purchase services abroad, the ability to provide services on a cross-border basis, and the ability of persons to enter temporarily to provide services. Information on products or practices subject to these negotiations should include, whenever appropriate, the import or export tariff classification number used by Vietnam for the product concerned. All comments on the above subject matter that were already provided in response to FR 61 59920 published on November 25, 1996 (requesting comments on the Negotiation of a Bilateral Trade Agreement Between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), will be considered as having also been submitted in response to this request, absent notification to the contrary. Supplementary comments to such earlier submissions will also be considered if submitted in response to this notice. WRITTEN COMMENTS: All written comments should be addressed to: Gloria Blue, 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, Friday, March 28, 1997. 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 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. 97-4646 Filed 2-24-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3190-01-M