[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