[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71497-71498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32936]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation 332-408]
Database on Trade and Investment in Services, Part II
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigation.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 13, 1999.
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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated November 22, 1999, from
the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission
instituted investigation No. 332-408, Database on Trade and Investment
in Services, Part II, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930
(19 U.S. C. 1332(g)).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this
investigation may be obtained from Mr. Richard Brown, Office of
Industries (202-205-3438) or Ms. Tsedale Assefa, Office of Industries
(202-205-2374). For information on the legal aspects of this
investigation, contact Mr. William Gearhart of the Office of the
General Counsel (202-205-3091). The media should contact Ms. 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). General
information concerning the Commission may be obtained by accessing its
Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).
Background:
Article 19 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
requires World Trade Organization (WTO) members to enter into
successive negotiations beginning not later than January 1, 2000, with
a view to achieving progressively higher levels of liberalization in
services trade and investment. In preparing for such negotiations, the
USTR has asked the Commission to develop a confidential database that
provides up-to-date information on service markets in other WTO member
countries. As requested by the USTR, the Commission, pursuant to
section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, instituted an investigation
for the purpose of developing a confidential database of information on
trade and investment in 62 foreign service markets. The Commission will
develop a database that provides, to the extent available, the
following information with respect to six service industries:
(1) Current market access and national treatment restrictions to
foreign service providers;
[[Page 71498]]
(2) Liberalization and deregulation that has taken place since 1995
(or since 1997 for financial services);
(3) Contemplated services liberalization or deregulation; and
(4) Sector-specific preferences extended to third-country trading
partners.
The industries identified by USTR include health related and social
services (defined as hospital, clinic, outpatient facility, nursing
home, assisted living services, but excluding such services when
publicly provided); education and training services (defined as higher
education services, adult education services, and other education
services, and training services in traditional and non-traditional
settings, but excluding such services when publicly provided); travel
and tourism services (defined as lodging, food serving services
including restaurants, travel agency, tour operator, and tourist guide
services); insurance services (defined as direct insurance and co-
insurance, including life and non-life insurance services; reinsurance
and retrocession; insurance intermediation, such as brokerage and
agency; and services auxiliary to insurance including consultancy,
actuarial, risk assessment and claim settlement); banking, securities,
and other financial services (defined as deposit taking, lending,
leasing, payment and transmission services, trading of securities and
all other financial assets, securities underwriting and related
services, asset management, clearance and settlement, and financial
information and advisory services); and computer and related services
(defined as data processing services, database services, software
implementation services, and consultancy services related to the
installation and maintenance of computer hardware and software). In
addition, the Commission will attempt to identify common approaches, if
any, to the deregulation and liberalization of service markets among
WTO members. The USTR requested that the Commission provide the
database no later than May 26, 2000. USTR indicated that the database
will be confidential for a period of 10 years. USTR also noted that it
considers the Commission's database to be an interagency memorandum
that will contain predecisional advice and be subject to the
deliberative process privilege. This investigation follows a previous
request for a confidential database (Inv. No. 332-397) that was
provided to the USTR on April 30, 1999. That database focused on
distribution services (defined as wholesaling, retailing, and
franchising), telecommunication services, express delivery services,
entertainment technology services, foreign legal consultancy services,
accounting services, architectural services, engineering services,
construction services, energy services (defined as mining, oil, gas,
and electricity), and environmental services. The Commission also
provided information with respect to temporary entry and stay of
service providers. In addition, the Commission sought to identify, to
the extent available, common approaches to the deregulation and
liberalization of service markets among WTO members, and best prospects
for services trade liberalization during the impending WTO
negotiations.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: December 14, 1999.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-32936 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P