[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75629-75630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32240]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. Nos. TA-131-28 and TA-2104-10]


U.S.-Andean Countries Free Trade Agreement: Advice Concerning the 
Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of public hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 24, 2003.

SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on December 8, 2003, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted 
investigation Nos. TA-131-28 and TA-2104-10, U.S.-Andean Countries Free 
Trade Agreement: Advice Concerning the Probable Economic Effect of 
Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports, under section 131 of the 
Trade Act of 1974 and section 2104(b)(2) of the Trade Act of 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Dennis Fravel (202-205-3404; 
[email protected]), or Tracy Quilter (202-205-3437; [email protected]), 
Office of Industries, United States International Trade Commission, 
Washington, DC, 20436. For information on the legal aspects of this 
investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Office of the General 
Counsel (202-205-3091; [email protected]). General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).
    Background: On November 18, 2003, the USTR notified the Congress of 
the President's intent to initiate a free trade agreement with 
Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, the four Andean Trade Preference 
Act beneficiary countries. Accordingly, the USTR, pursuant to section 
131 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2151), requested the Commission 
to provide a report including advice as to the probable economic effect 
of providing duty-free treatment for imports of products from the 
Andean countries as a group (i) on industries in the United States 
producing like or directly competitive products, and (ii) on consumers. 
In preparing its advice, the Commission's analysis will consider each 
article in chapters 1 through 97 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States for which U.S. tariffs will remain after the United 
States fully implements its Uruguay Round tariff commitments. The 
import advice will be based on the 2003 Harmonized Tariff System 
nomenclature and 2002 trade data. The advice with respect to the 
removal of U.S. duties on imports from the Andean countries will assume 
that any known U.S. nontariff barrier will not be applicable to such 
imports. The Commission will note in its report any instance in which 
the continued application of a U.S. nontariff barrier to such imports 
would result in different advice with respect to the effect of the 
removal of the duty.
    As also requested, pursuant to section 2104(b)(2) of the Trade Act 
of 2002 (19 U.S.C. 3804(b)(2)), the Commission will provide advice as 
to the probable economic effect of eliminating tariffs on imports of 
certain agricultural products of the Andean countries on (i) industries 
in the United States producing the product concerned, and (ii) the U.S. 
economy as a whole.
    The Commission expects to provide its report to USTR by April 8, 
2004. USTR indicated that the Commission's report will be classified 
and considered to be an interagency memorandum containing pre-
decisional advice and subject to the deliberative process privilege.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with the 
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
February 10, 2004. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be 
filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., January 23, 2004, in 
accordance with the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. 
In the event that, as of the close of business on January 23, 2004, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be 
canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer 
or non-participant may call the Secretary (202-205-2000) after January 
23, 2004, to determine whether the hearing will be held. This will be a 
joint hearing at which the Commission will

[[Page 75630]]

also take testimony in connection with its investigation U.S.-Panama 
Free Trade Agreement: Advice Concerning the Probable Economic Effect of 
Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports (investigation Nos. TA-131-27 
and TA-2104-9).
    Statements and Briefs: In lieu of or in addition to participating 
in the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements or briefs concerning the investigation in accordance with 
the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. Any prehearing 
briefs or statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., January 
26, 2004; the deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or statements is 
5:15 p.m., February 17, 2004.
    Submissions: All written submissions including requests to appear 
at the hearing, statements, and briefs, should be addressed to the 
Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20436. All written submissions must conform with 
the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8); any submissions that contain confidential 
business information must also conform with the requirements of section 
201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.6). Section 201.8 of the rules require that a signed original (or a 
copy designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each 
document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the 
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be 
filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted. Section 
201.6 of the rules require that the cover of the document and the 
individual pages clearly be marked as to whether they are the 
``confidential'' or ``nonconfidential'' version, and that the 
confidential business information be clearly identified by means of 
brackets.
    The Commission's rules do not authorize filing submissions with the 
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent 
permitted by section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules (19 CFR 201.8)(see 
Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/electronic_filing_handbook.pdf). Persons with questions 
regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 
or [email protected]).
    All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available for inspection by interested 
parties. Accordingly, any confidential business information received by 
the Commission in this investigation and used in preparing the report 
will not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of 
the firm supplying the information.
    The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the 
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov. 
Hearing-impaired individuals are advised that information on this 
matter can be obtained by contacting our TDD terminal on (202) 205-
1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special 
assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the 
Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

List of Subjects

    Andean countries, imports, and tariffs.

    Issued: December 24, 2003.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-32240 Filed 12-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P