[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72136-72138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32220]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); Notice Regarding the 
1999 Product Review

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the petitions that were accepted for the 
1999 GSP Annual Review for modifications of GSP product eligibility; 
lists the schedule for the public hearing on these petitions, for 
requesting participation in the hearing, and for submitting pre-hearing 
and post-hearing briefs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, 
DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GSP program grants duty-free treatment 
to designated eligible articles that are imported from designated 
beneficiary developing countries. The GSP program is authorized by 
Title V the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act'') (19 U.S.C. 
2461 et seq.), and administered in accordance with GSP regulations (15 
CFR Part 2007) which provide for a GSP annual review.
    In a notice dated April 23, 1999, USTR initiated the 1999 GSP 
Annual Review and announced a deadline of June 16, 1999 for the filing 
of petitions (63 FR 18963). The product petitions that we received 
requested changes in the eligibility of products by adding or removing 
products, or the waiver of ``competitive need limitations'' (CNLs) for 
eligible articles. Authorization for granting CNL waivers is set forth 
in section 503(d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2464(d)).
    The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC has reviewed the 28 product 
petitions that were received and has decided that 9 of these petitions 
involving 7 products should be accepted for consideration in the 1999 
GSP Annual Review. The annex to this notice sets forth the case number, 
product identification, the change requested and the petitioner for 
each product included in the 1999 GSP Annual Review.

Opportunities for Public Comment and Inspection of Comments

    The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of, or 
in opposition to, any petition which is the subject of this notice. 
Submissions should comply with 15 CFR Part 2007, including sections 
2007.0, and 2007.1. All submissions should identify the subject 
article(s) in terms of the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States (``HTS'') nomenclature.
    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 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 also be clearly marked at the top and bottom of every 
page (either ``public version'' or ``nonconfidential''). Comments 
should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on January 14, 2000.

Notice of Public Hearings

    Hearings will be held on February 1, 2000 beginning at 10 a.m. at 
the Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20508. The hearings will be open to the public and a 
transcript of the hearings 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 
hearings must submit the name, address, and telephone number of the 
witnesses 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 
January 14, 2000. Oral testimony before the GSP Subcommittee will be 
limited to five minute presentations that summarize 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. February 24, 2000. Interested 
persons not wishing to appear at the public hearings may also submit 
pre-hearing written briefs or statements by 5 p.m. on January 14, 2000, 
and post-hearing and rebuttal written briefs or statements by February 
24, 2000. Comments by interested persons on the USITC Report prepared 
as part of the product review should be submitted in fourteen (14) 
copies, in English, by 5 p.m. April 14, 2000.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.

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[FR Doc. 99-32220 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am]
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