[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4860-4861]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2121]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Identification of Priority Foreign Country Practices and Foreign 
Countries Engaging in Discriminatory Procurement Practices; Request for 
Public Comment

AGENCY:  Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION:  Request for written submissions from the public.

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SUMMARY:  Executive Order 13116 of March 31, 1999 requires the United 
States Trade Representative (USTR) to conduct a review by April 30, 
2000, of U.S. trade expansion priorities and to identify priority 
foreign country practices, the elimination of which is likely to have 
the most significant potential to increase United States exports; and 
to identify foreign countries engaging in discriminatory government 
procurement practices. USTR is requesting written submissions from the 
public concerning practices that should be considered by the USTR for 
these purposes.

DATES:  Submissions must be received by 12 noon on February 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Questions concerning the filing of 
submissions should be directed to Sybia Harrison, Staff Assistant to 
Section 301 Committee, (202) 395-3432; legal questions regarding 
Executive Order 13116 and Super 301 should be addressed to Demetrios 
Marantis, Assistant General Counsel, (202) 395-9626; and legal 
questions regarding Title VII should be addressed to Stephen Kho, 
Assistant General Counsel, (202) 395-3581.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Pursuant to Part I of Executive Order 13116 
of March 31, 1999 (64 FR 1633), the USTR is required, no later than 
April 30, to review United States trade expansion priorities and 
identify priority foreign country practices, the elimination of which 
is likely to have the most significant potential to increase United 
States exports, either directly or through the establishment of a 
beneficial precedent. Part II of Executive Order 13116 requires the 
USTR, no later than April 30, to review and identify other countries' 
compliance with the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and other 
government procurement agreement obligations, or otherwise maintain, in 
government procurement, a significant and persistent practice of 
discrimination against U.S. products or services which results in 
identifiable harm to United States businesses and whose products or 
services are acquired in significant amounts by the United States 
Government.
    The USTR must submit to the congressional committees of 
jurisdiction a report on the priority foreign country practices 
identified under Part I of the Executive Order and a report on 
countries engaging in discriminatory government procurement practices, 
identified under Part II of the Executive Order and publish the reports 
in the Federal Register. The USTR also may describe in the report 
foreign country practices that may warrant identification in the future 
or that were not identified because they are being addressed by 
provisions under U.S. trade law, existing bilateral trade agreements, 
or in trade negotiations, and progress is being made toward their 
elimination.
    Executive Order 13116 also requires the USTR to initiate 
investigations under section 302(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 as 
amended (19 U.S.C. 2412 (b)(1)), no later than 90 days after submission 
of the reports, with respect to any of the identified practices that 
have not been satisfactorily resolved in the interim.

Requirements for Submissions

    The USTR invites submissions on priority foreign country practices 
and countries engaging in discriminatory government procurement 
practices that should be considered for identification in accordance 
with the criteria established under Executive Order 13116. If the 
practice is also the subject of comments submitted in connection with 
the 2000 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (2000 
NTE Report), the present submission should identify the related 
comments in the NTE public docket and include any additional pertinent 
information, including information explaining why the practice rises to 
the level of a ``priority foreign country practice'' within the meaning 
of Executive Order 13116. If the practice was not the subject of 
comments submitted in connection with the 2000 NTE Report, the 
submission should: (1) Include information on the nature and 
significance of the practice; (2) identify the United States product, 
service, intellectual property right, or foreign direct investment 
matter which is affected by the practice; and (3) provide any other 
information considered relevant. Such information may include 
information on the relevant trade and

[[Page 4861]]

government procurement agreements to which a foreign country is a 
party, its compliance with those agreements, and any other information 
related to the factors set forth in Parts I and II of Executive Order 
13116 for identification of priority foreign country practices and 
countries that engage in discriminatory government procurement 
practices.
    Interested persons must provide twenty copies of any submission, in 
English, to Sybia Harrison, Staff Assistant to Section 301 Committee, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, by noon on February 
25, 2000. Because submissions will be placed in a public file, open to 
public inspection at USTR, business-confidential information should not 
be submitted. Inspection is only by appointment with the staff of the 
USTR Public Reading Room and can be arranged by calling Brenda Webb at 
(202) 395-6186. The Reading Room is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. 
to 12 noon, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

A. Jane Bradley,
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Monitoring and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 00-2121 Filed 1-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P