[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42250-42251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20145]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on the Caribbean 
Basin Economic Recovery Act and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership 
Act: Report to Congress

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and solicitation of public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is seeking the views 
of interested parties on the operation of the Caribbean Basin Economic 
Recovery Act (CBERA), as amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade 
Partnership Act (CBTPA) (19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Section 212(f) of the 
CBERA, as amended, requires the President to submit a report to the 
Congress regarding the operation of the CBERA and CBTPA (known 
collectively as the Caribbean Basin Initiative, or CBI) on or before 
December 31, 2001 and every two years thereafter. The TPSC invites 
written comments concerning the operation of the CBI and on the 
performance of CBTPA beneficiary countries under the criteria described 
in section 213(b)(5)(B) of the CBERA, as amended.

DATES: Public comments are due at USTR by September 14, 2001.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Wilson, Director for 
Central America and the Caribbean, Office of the Americas, Office of 
the United States Trade Representative, (202) 395-5190.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to submit 
comments on any aspect of the program's operation, including the 
performance of beneficiary countries under the criteria described in 
section 213(b)(5)(B) of the CBERA, as amended, and provided below. 
Other issues to be examined in this report include: The CBI's effect on 
the volume and composition of trade and investment between the United 
States and the Caribbean Basin beneficiary countries; its effect in 
promoting economic growth and development of the beneficiary countries; 
and its effect in advancing U.S. trade policy goals as set forth in the 
CBTPA.
    Current CBERA/CBTPA Beneficiary Countries: Antigua and Barbuda, 
Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican 
Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, 
Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts 
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and 
Tobago, and British Virgin Islands.

CBTPA Criteria

    (1) Whether the beneficiary country has demonstrated a commitment 
to undertake its obligations under the WTO on or ahead of schedule and 
participate in negotiations toward the completion of the FTAA or 
another free trade agreement.
    (2) The extent to which the country provides protection of 
intellectual property rights consistent with or greater than the 
protection afforded under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights.
    (3) The extent to which the country provides internationally 
recognized worker rights, including--
``(I) the right of association;
``(II) the right to organize and bargain collectively;
``(III) a prohibition on the use of any form of forced or compulsory 
labor;
``(IV) a minimum age for the employment of children; and
``(V) acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, 
hours of work, and occupational safety and health;
    (4) Whether the country has implemented its commitments to 
eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
    (5) The extent to which the country has met U.S. counter-narcotics 
certification criteria under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

[[Page 42251]]

    (6) The extent to which the country has taken steps to become a 
party to and implements the Inter-American Convention Against 
Corruption.
    (7) The extent to which the country applies transparent, 
nondiscriminatory and competitive procedures in government procurement, 
and contributes to efforts in international fora to develop and 
implement rules on transparency in government procurement.

Public Comment

    Written comments should be addressed to Gloria Blue, Executive 
Secretary, TPSC, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Room F516, 
600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. Twenty copies must be 
submitted. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on September 14, 2001. 
Non-confidential information received will be available for public 
inspection by appointment, in the USTR Reading Room, Monday through 
Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For an appointment call 
Brenda Webb on 202-395-6186. All submissions must be in English and 
should conform to the information requirements of 15 CFR part 2003. Any 
business confidential material must be clearly marked as such on the 
cover letter or page and each succeeding page, and must be accompanied 
by a non-confidential summary thereof.

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 01-20145 Filed 8-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P