[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9050-9051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4643]



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Part VI





Department of Commerce





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International Trade Administration



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Certain Steel Products From the Russian Federation of the United 
States, Public Hearing on Establishment of Import Restrictions; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 23, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 9050]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Public Hearing on Establishment of Import Restrictions on Certain 
Steel Products From the Russian Federation to the United States

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 125(f) of the Trade Act of 1974, the 
Department of Commerce has scheduled a public hearing on the potential 
establishment of import restrictions on certain steel products from the 
Russian Federation to the United States.

DATES: The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
the public hearing and/or public comments, contact Lesley Stagliano at 
(202) 482-0190 or Lyn Baranowski at (202) 482-3208. All other questions 
should be directed to Edward Yang at (202) 482-0406.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 23, 1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 1, 1990, pursuant to Title IV of the 
Trade Act of 1974 (the Trade Act), the Governments of the United States 
of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics entered into the 
Agreement on Trade Relations Between the United States of America and 
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. On June 17, 1992, this 
agreement became effective between the United States and the Russian 
Federation (the 1992 Agreement). Article XI of the 1992 Agreement 
provides that the Parties will consult with a view toward finding means 
of remedying or preventing actual or threatened market disruption, and 
it authorizes the Parties to take action, including the imposition of 
import restrictions, to achieve this goal.
    In February 1999, the United States Department of Commerce and the 
Ministry of Trade of the Russian Federation entered into negotiations 
and consultations pursuant to Article XI of the Agreement on Trade 
Between the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The 
Parties mutually agree that the conditions of Article XI have been met 
with respect to U.S. imports of certain steel products from Russia.
    Pursuant to Article XI, the United States proposes to establish 
import restrictions on Russian exports to the United States of the 
following 16 steel products:

1. Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Quality Products
2. Semifinished Steel Products
3. Galvanized Sheet Products
4. Other Metallic Coated Flat Rolled Products
5. Certain Tin Mill Products
6. Electrical Sheet Products
7. Heavy Structural Shapes
8. Rails
9. Hot-Rolled Bars
10. Cold Finished Bars
11. Pipe and Tube Products
12. Wire Rod Products
13. Tool Steel
14. Drawn Wire Products
15. Hot-Rolled Stainless and Alloy Sheet, Strip, and Plate
16. Pig Iron

    Each category of steel would have a separate export limit. In 
addition to the issuance of export licenses by the Ministry of Trade of 
the Russian Federation, and consistent with the requests of the Russian 
officials, the United States would establish a border enforcement 
mechanism to ensure compliance with the export limits. The border 
mechanism will be in the form of denial of entry for any shipment of 
steel, covered by the categories listed above, which exceeds the limits 
or lacks the required documents.
    Section 125(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(c)) provides that 
whenever the United States, acting in pursuance of any of its rights or 
obligations under any trade agreement entered into pursuant to the 
Trade Act, modifies any obligation with respect to the trade of any 
foreign country or instrumentality, the President is authorized to 
proclaim increased duties or other import restrictions, to the extent, 
at such times, and for such periods as he deems necessary or 
appropriate, in order to exercise the rights or fulfill the obligations 
of the United States.
    Section 125(f) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(f)) requires the 
President to provide the opportunity for interested parties to present 
views at a public hearing prior to taking action pursuant to section 
125(b), (c), or (d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(b), (c), or (d)). 
Such an opportunity is being provided by the holding of such a hearing 
on Tuesday, March 2, 1999, at the United States Department of Commerce. 
In addition, the Department will separately publish in the Federal 
Register the proposed agreement establishing import restrictions on 
Russian exports to the United States. For convenience, the Department 
will also post this agreement on its Import Administration website 
(http://www.ita.doc.gov/import__admin/records).

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: Pursuant to section 125(f) of the Trade Act 
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2135(f)), the International Trade Administration of 
the Department of Commerce, has scheduled a public hearing beginning at 
1:30 p.m., on March 2, 1999, at Room 4830 of the Herbert C. Hoover 
Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC.

REQUESTS TO PRESENT ORAL TESTIMONY: Parties wishing to testify orally 
at the hearing must provide written notification of their intention not 
later than 5:00 p.m., February 26, 1999 to Robert S. LaRussa, Assistant 
Secretary for Import Administration: In re Public Hearing on 
Establishment of Import Restrictions on Certain Steel Products From the 
Russian Federation to the United States, Room 1870, Herbert C. Hoover 
Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC. The notification should include (1) the name of the 
person presenting the testimony, their address and telephone number; 
(2) the organization or company they are representing, if appropriate; 
(3) a list of issues to be addressed; and (4), if applicable, any 
request for an extension of the time limitation on the oral 
presentation. This notification may be submitted via facsimile to Vicki 
Sullivan at (202) 273-0957. Those parties presenting oral testimony 
must also submit a written brief, in 20 copies, not later than 10:00 
a.m., March 2, 1999, to the above-mentioned address. Hearing 
presentations should be limited to no more than five minutes to allow 
for possible questions from the Chairman and the panel. Additional time 
for oral presentations may be granted as time and the number of 
participants permit. Any business proprietary material must be clearly 
marked as such on the cover page (or letter) and succeeding pages. Such 
submissions must be accompanied by a public summary thereof.

WRITTEN BRIEFS: Those persons not wishing to participate in the hearing 
may submit written comments, in 20 typed copies, not later than 10:00 
a.m., March 2, 1999, to Robert S. LaRussa, Assistant Secretary for 
Import Administration: In re Public Hearing on Establishment of Import 
Restrictions on Certain Steel Products From the Russian Federation to 
the United States, Room 1870, Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. 
Comments should state clearly the position taken and describe with 
particularity the evidence supporting

[[Page 9051]]

that position. Any business proprietary material must be clearly marked 
as such on the cover page (or letter) and succeeding pages. Such 
submissions must be accompanied by a public summary thereof. Public 
submissions will be available for public inspection at the Import 
Administration Central Records Unit. An appointment to review the file 
may be made by contacting Joni Myers at (202) 482-0865.

    Dated: February 22, 1999.
Richard W. Moreland,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-4643 Filed 2-22-99; 10:13 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P