[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64410-64411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28391]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), as Amended: Notice Regarding 
the 2003 Annual Review

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 
received petitions in September 2003 to review certain practices in 
certain beneficiary developing countries to determine whether such 
countries are in compliance with the ATPA eligibility criteria. This 
notice publishes a list of the September 2003 petitions that were filed 
in response to the announcement of the annual review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bennett M. Harman, Deputy Assistant 
U.S. Trade Representative for Latin America, Office of the Americas, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th St., NW., 
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-9446, and the 
facsimile number is (202) 395-9675.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.), as 
renewed and amended by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication 
Act of 2002 (ATPDEA) in the Trade Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-210), 
provides trade benefits for eligible Andean countries. Consistent with 
Section 3103(d) of the ATPDEA, USTR promulgated regulations (15 CFR 
part 2016) (68 FR 43922) regarding the review of eligibility of 
countries for the benefits of the ATPA as amended. The 2003 Annual ATPA 
Review is the first such review to be conducted pursuant to the ATPA 
regulations.
    In a Federal Register notice dated August 14, 2003, USTR initiated 
the 2003 ATPA Annual Review and

[[Page 64411]]

announced a deadline of September 15, 2003 for the filing of petitions 
(68 FR 48657). Several of these petitions requested the review of 
certain practices in certain beneficiary developing countries regarding 
compliance with the eligibility criteria set forth in sections 203(c) 
and (d) and section 204(b)(6)(B) of the ATPA as amended (19 U.S.C. 3203 
(c) and (d); 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B))
    Pursuant to 15 CFR 2016.1(a), this notice provides a list of the 
responsive petitions filed pursuant to the announcement of the annual 
review. Petitions not responsive to the September 2003 notice will not 
be considered in this review. The list of petitions sets forth the 
petitioner, country, and subject matter of the practice in question for 
each petition. The results of the preliminary review of these petitions 
will be published in the Federal Register at a later date. 
Subsequently, any modifications to the list of beneficiary developing 
countries or eligible articles resulting from this review will be 
published in the Federal Register.

Bennett M. Harman,
Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for Latin America.

          Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), Status of Country Practice Petitions and Ongoing Reviews
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              Petitioner                          Country                               Matter
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AFL-CIO..............................  Ecuador.....................  Worker Rights.
Big 3 Marine.........................  Peru........................  Expropriation.
Duke Energy..........................  Ecuador.....................  Contract Nullification.
Duke Energy..........................  Peru........................  Contract Nullification.
Engelhard............................  Peru........................  Tax Issues.
Human Rights Watch...................  Ecuador.....................  Worker Rights.
LeTourneau...........................  Peru........................  Expropriation.
Nortel Networks......................  Colombia....................  Contract Nullification.
PhRMA................................  Ecuador.....................  Intellectual Property Rights.
PhRMA................................  Peru........................  Intellectual Property Rights.
Princeton Dover......................  Peru........................  Tax Issues.
US/LEAP..............................  Ecuador.....................  Worker Rights
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[FR Doc. 03-28391 Filed 11-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W3-P