[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9011-9012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4936]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Free Trade Area of the Americas; Notice and Request for Views

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to provide views on U.S. objectives for 
the free trade area of the Americas.

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SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee is issuing this notice to 
request advice and information useful in the preparation for the 
meeting of Western Hemisphere trade ministers, to be held on May 16, 
1997 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. At the Summit of the Americas, leaders 
of the Western Hemisphere agreed that countries should conclude 
negotiation of a ``Free Trade Area of the Americas'' by 2005. The trade 
ministers were asked to oversee the negotiation.

DATES: In order to receive full consideration, comments must be 
received no later than: March 24, 1997. This will make them timely for 
consideration as U.S. positions for the Ministerial meeting are 
developed. Any comments, however brief, would be welcome. The U.S. 
Government will continue to welcome advice as work on the FTAA 
proceeds.

ADDRESSES: Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff 
Committee, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th 
Street, NW, Room 501, Washington, D.C. 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen James Chopra (202) 395-5190.

[[Page 9012]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The 34 democratically-elected leaders of the Western Hemisphere 
gathered at the first Summit of the Americas in Miami in December 1994. 
At the Summit, leaders agreed that countries should conclude 
negotiation of a ``Free Trade Area of the Americas'' (FTAA) by 2005 and 
make concrete progress towards that goal by 2000. They directed their 
trade ministers to oversee the process of constructing the FTAA.
    The first Western Hemisphere Trade Ministerial was held in Denver 
in June 1995. The United States Trade Representative and the other 33 
Ministers in the Hemisphere responsible for trade agreed to the Denver 
``Joint Declaration.'' This advanced the Summit of the America's 
objective of establishing the FTAA by 2005. The Denver Declaration 
adopted a set of principles and created a work program to prepare for 
negotiation of the FTAA--including the establishment of seven working 
groups. Four more working groups were created at the second Western 
Hemisphere Trade Ministerial, which was held in Cartagena, Colombia in 
March 1996. The eleven working groups established to date are: 
Investment, Standards and Technical Barriers to Trade, Subsidies/Anti-
dumping/Countervailing Duties, Smaller Economies, Government 
Procurement, Intellectual Property Rights, Services, Competition 
Policy, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures, Customs Procedures 
and Rules of Origin, and Market Access.
    In the Cartagena ``Joint Declaration'', the Ministers mandated that 
Vice Ministers make recommendations on when and how to launch the FTAA 
negotiations and on the approach to negotiations. Also, concrete 
proposals on near-term practical steps toward hemispheric economic 
integration (e.g. business facilitation actions) are to be reported to 
the Ministers at the next Ministerial. The Ministers provided overall 
guidance to further the FTAA process and another detailed plan of work 
for the eleven working groups. Copies of the Miami, Denver and 
Cartagena Declarations can be found on the Internet at: http://
www.ustr.gov/index.html.
    The third Western Hemisphere Trade Ministerial will take place on 
May 16 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Ministers have requested that Vice 
Ministers prepare recommendations on how and when to launch the 
negotiations to construct the FTAA.

Key Issues

    To make preparations for the Belo Horizonte Ministerial as relevant 
as possible, the U.S. Government is seeking advice and views from the 
public. Any views on the FTAA process are welcome, but of particular 
interest would be input on the following issues:
     What should U.S. objectives be for the FTAA process as a 
whole, and what should we seek to achieve at the next meeting in Belo 
Horizonte to make progress towards that objective?
     What major issues are not currently addressed adequately 
by international disciplines that could be addressed in the FTAA?
     Are there particular advantages/disadvantages to 
negotiating or implementing certain agreements or codes affecting 
either specific sectors (e.g. telecommunications) or disciplines (e.g. 
investment) before the FTAA negotiations are completed in the year 
2005?
     What concrete steps toward economic integration would most 
benefit U.S. interests overall or the interests of specific industries 
or groups?
     What impediments are most detrimental to the U.S. 
companies doing business and how can hemispheric disciplines remove 
them?
     Has your company or organization experienced particular 
problems in the region of which the U.S. Government should be aware as 
it goes through the FTAA process?
     To what extent have the subregional arrangements 
(Mercosur, Andean Pact, Central American Common Market, Caribbean 
Community) affected your interests in or exports to Latin America and 
the Caribbean?
     What measures should the ministers consider to ensure that 
private sector advice from throughout the Hemisphere is received and 
incorporated into the FTAA process?
     Do you have any concrete proposals for near-term practical 
steps toward hemispheric economic integration (e.g. business 
facilitation actions)?
    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, NW, 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 March 24, 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 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. 97-4936 Filed 2-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P