[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9349-9351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4838]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Negotiation of a U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of public hearings concerning negotiation of a U.S.-
Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

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SUMMARY: This publication gives notice that the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee (TPSC) will conduct public hearings

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concerning negotiation of a U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

DATES: A hearing will be held on Monday, April 1, 2002. Parties wishing 
to testify orally at the hearings must provide written notification of 
their intention by noon, Monday, March 18, 2002. Parties presenting 
oral testimony also must submit a written brief by noon Thursday, March 
21, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
public comments or public hearings, contact Gloria Blue, Executive 
Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, USTR, 1724 F Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20508, telephone (202) 395-3475. All other questions 
should be directed to Barbara Weisel, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade 
Representative for Bilateral Asian Affairs, (202) 395-6813, or Will 
Martyn, Associate General Counsel, (202) 395-3582.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    In November 2000, the United States and Singapore announced that 
they would enter into negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement 
(FTA). Negotiations were launched in December 2000. In early 2001, the 
Bush Administration reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the 
negotiations. The parties expect that negotiations will intensify in 
the coming months.
    As described in the previous notice, see 65 FR 71197, the United 
States and Singapore are seeking to eliminate duties and commercial 
barriers to bilateral trade in U.S. and Singaporean-origin goods. The 
agreement is also expected to include provisions on trade in services, 
investment, trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, 
competition, government procurement, electronic commerce, trade-related 
environmental and labor matters, and other issues.

2. Public Comments and Testimony

    In conformity with TPSC regulations (15 CFA part 2003), the 
Chairman of the TPSC invites written comments and/or oral testimony of 
interested persons in a public hearing on the economic effects of a 
U.S.-Singapore FTA.
    Comments are invited particularly on:
    (a) Economic costs and benefits to U.S. producers and consumers of 
removal of all tariff barriers to trade between Singapore and the 
United States, and in the case of articles for which immediate 
elimination of tariffs is not appropriate, the appropriate staging 
schedule for such elimination.
    (b) Existing nontariff barriers to trade in goods between Singapore 
and the United States and the economic costs and benefits to U.S. 
producers and consumers of removing those barriers.
    (c) Existing restrictions on investment flows between Singapore and 
the United States and the costs and benefits to U.S. investors and 
consumers of eliminating any such restrictions.
    (d) Any other matter relevant to the U.S.-Singapore FTA, including 
any other measures, policies, or practices of the Government of 
Singapore that should be addressed in the negotiations.
    (e) Possible effects on basic workers' rights, working conditions, 
and living standards, as well as the possible environmental effects. 
Supplemental comments also are being requested on the scope of the 
environmental review of the proposed U.S.-Singapore FTA currently under 
negotiation. Persons who submit comments pursuant to the Federal 
Register Notice should not resubmit those comments for this proceeding.

3. Requests To Participate in Public Hearings

    A hearing will be held on Monday, April 1, 2002 in Room 1 and 2, 
1724 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. Hearings will continue on 
succeeding days if necessary.
    Parties wishing to testify orally at the hearings must provide 
written notification of their intention by noon, Monday, March 18, 2002 
to Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative. Requests should be 
made by e-mail to [email protected] or by fax to 202-395-5141, Attn: 
Gloria Blue. Notification may be submitted by mail to Gloria Blue, 1724 
F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20508. However, due to significant 
delays, we have no means of ensuring its timely receipt. The 
notification should include (1) the name, address, and telephone number 
of the person presenting the testimony; and (2) a brief summary of the 
presentation, including the product(s) (with HTSUS numbers), service 
sector(s), or other subjects to be discussed.
    Parties presenting oral testimony also must submit by noon, 
Thursday, March 21, 2002 a written brief of that testimony. To ensure 
prompt receipt, the testimony should also be submitted electronically 
to [email protected] or by fax to (202) 395-5141, Attn: Gloria Blue (see 
note above on mail delivery) . Remarks at the hearing should be limited 
to no more than five minutes to allow for possible questions from the 
Chairman and the interagency panel.
    Those persons not wishing to participate in the hearing may submit 
written comments no later cob, Friday, April 5, 2002. To ensure prompt 
receipt, comments should also be submitted by fax to (202) 395-5141, 
Attn: Gloria Blue or by e-mail to [email protected] (see note above on 
mail delivery). Comments should state clearly the position taken and 
should describe with particularity the evidence supporting that 
position.
    Any notifications or briefs should be submitted in accordance with 
the instructions in section 4, below. The TPSC cannot guarantee receipt 
or consideration of any submissions that do not conform with those 
instructions.

4. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting a brief in response to this notice by electronic 
mail should transmit a copy electronically to [email protected], with 
``Singapore FTA hearing'' in the subject line. USTR encourages the 
submission of documents in Adobe PDF format, as attachments to an 
electronic mail. For any document containing business confidential 
information submitted by electronic transmission, the file name of the 
business confidential version should begin with the characters ``BC-'', 
and the file name of the public version should begin with the 
characters ``P-''. The ``P-'' or ``BC-'' should be followed by the name 
of the submitter. Persons who make submissions by electronic mail 
should not provide separate cover letters; information that might 
appear in a cover letter should be included in the submission itself. 
Similarly, to the extent possible, any attachments to the submission 
should be included in the same file as the submission itself, and not 
as separate files.
    Notifications and briefs will be placed in a file open to public 
inspection pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5, except confidential business 
information exempt from public inspection in accordance with 15 CFR 
2003.6. Confidential business information submitted in accordance with 
15 CFR 2006.6 must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the 
top of each page, including the cover letter or cover page, and must be 
accompanied by a nonconfidential summary of the confidential 
information. All public documents and nonconfidential summaries shall 
be available for public inspection in the USTR Reading Room. The USTR 
Reading Room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. 
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located in Room 3, First 
Floor, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20508. An appointment

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to review the file may be made by calling (202) 395-6186.

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
 Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 02-4838 Filed 2-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P