[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 27, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4168-4169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1842]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); Schedule for a Hearing 
and Deadlines for Submitting Comments on Soda Ash Petition for the GSP 
1998 Country Practices Review

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to set forth the timetable for a 
hearing, and for providing public comments on a petition requesting the 
modification in the status of a GSP beneficiary country in regard to 
its practices, as specified in 15 CFR 2007.0(b).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, 
DC 20508 (Tel. 202/395-6971). Public versions of all documents relating 
to this review may be seen by appointment in the USTR public Reading 
Room between 9:30-12 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. (Tel. 202/395-6186).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GSP program is authorized pursuant to 
Title V of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``the Trade Act'') (19 
U.S.C. 2461 et seq.). The GSP program grants duty-free treatment to 
designated eligible articles that are imported from designated 
beneficiary developing countries. In 1998 USTR received three new 
petitions requesting that certain practices in certain beneficiary 
developing countries be reviewed to determine whether such countries 
are in compliance with the eligibility criteria set forth in sections 
502(b) and 502(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(b) and 2462(c)).

I. Subject of Review

    Pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.0(b), the Trade Policy Staff Committee has 
accepted a petition to review the GSP status of India for its alleged 
failure to provide equitable and reasonable access to its soda ash 
market. Petitions concerning the enforcement of internationally 
recognized worker rights in Guatemala and Cambodia were not accepted 
for review.
    Any modifications to the list of beneficiary developing countries 
for purposes of the GSP program resulting from the Country Practices 
Review will take effect on such date as will be notified in a future 
Federal Register notice.

[[Page 4169]]

II. Opportunities for Public Comment and Inspection of Comments

    The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of, or 
in opposition to, the petition which is the subject of this notice. 
Submissions should comply with 15 CFR Part 2007, including sections 
2007.0 and 2007.1.
    Comments should be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in English, 
to the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, DC 20508. 
Information submitted will be subject to public inspection by 
appointment with the staff of the USTR public reading room, except for 
information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 CFR 
2003.6 and other qualifying information submitted in confidence 
pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.7. If the document contains business 
confidential information, an original and fourteen (14) copies of a 
nonconfidential version of the submission along with an original and 
fourteen (14) copies of the confidential version must be submitted. In 
addition, any document containing confidential information should be 
clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and bottom of each page of 
the document. The version that does not contain confidential 
information (the public version) should be clearly marked at the top 
and bottom of every page (either ``public version'' or 
``nonconfidential'').

III. Notice of Public Hearings

    A hearing will be held on March 23, 1999 at 10:00 a.m. at 1724 F 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20508. The hearing will be open to the 
public and a transcript of the hearing will be made available for 
public inspection or can be purchased from the reporting company. No 
electronic media coverage will be allowed.
    All interested parties wishing to present oral testimony at the 
hearing must submit the name, address, and telephone number of the 
witness(es) representing their organization to the Chairman of the GSP 
Subcommittee. Such requests to present oral testimony at the public 
hearings should be accompanied by fourteen (14) copies, in English, of 
a written brief or statement, and should be received by 5 p.m. on March 
15, 1999. Oral testimony before the GSP Subcommittee will be limited to 
ten minute presentations that summarize or supplement information 
contained in the briefs or statements or supplement information 
contained in the briefs or statements submitted for the record. Post-
hearing and rebuttal briefs or statements should conform to the 
regulations cited above and be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in 
English, no later than 5 p.m. April 8, 1999. Interested persons not 
wishing to appear at the public hearings may also submit pre-hearing 
written briefs or statements by 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 1999, and post-
hearing and rebuttal written briefs or statements by April 8, 1999.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 99-1842 Filed 1-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M