[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58008-58009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21762]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Comments on Additional Items for Potential Withdrawal 
of Tariff Concessions and Increase in Applied Duties in Response to 
European Union (EU) Enlargement and EU Changes to its Rice Import 
Regime

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seeks comments 
concerning the addition of several types of cheese, peaches, mandarins 
and clementines, to a list of goods for which tariff concessions may be 
withdrawn and duties may be increased in the event the United States 
cannot reach agreement with the European Union (EU) for adequate 
compensation owed under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules as a 
result of EU enlargement and EU changes to its rice import regime.

DATES: Persons wishing to provide written public comments are required 
to do so no later than noon on Wednesday, September 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submissions by electronic mail to [email protected]. 
Submissions by facsimile to: Anita Thomas at fax: (202) 395-3974. The 
public is strongly encouraged to submit documents electronically rather 
than by facsimile. (See requirements for submissions below).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions contact Lisa Errion, 
Office of Europe and the Mediterranean, at (202) 395-3320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By Federal Register Vol. 69, No. 175/Friday, 
September 10, 2004, p. 54827-54849, ``Request for Comments and Notice 
of Public Hearing on Potential Withdrawal of Tariff Concessions and 
Increase in Applied Duties in Response to European Union (EU) 
Enlargement and EU Changes to Its Rice Regime,'' the Office of the U.S. 
Trade Representative sought comments concerning the list of goods for 
which tariff concessions might be withdrawn and duties might be 
increased in the event the United States could not reach agreement with 
the European Union (EU) for adequate compensation owed under World 
Trade Organization (WTO) rules as a result of EU enlargement and EU 
changes to its rice import regime. The United States has received 
public comment regarding the addition of several types of cheese, 
peaches, mandarins and clementines to this list. Public written 
testimony requesting the addition of several types of cheese and of 
peaches is available in the USTR Reading Room, by appointment only, 
from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. An 
appointment to review the file may be made by calling (202) 395-6186. 
It is also available on USTR's Web site at: www.ustr.gov/World_Regions/Europe_Mediterranean/European_Union/Section_Index.html.

Public Comment

    Written comments of interested persons should be limited to the 
following issues: (1) The appropriateness of withdrawing WTO tariff 
concessions upon the products listed in the Annex to this notice; (2) 
the appropriateness of imposing increased duties upon the products 
listed in the Annex to this notice; (3) the levels at which U.S. 
customs duties should be set for particular items; and (4) the degree 
to which increased duties might have an adverse effect upon U.S. 
consumers of the products listed in the Annex.

Requirements for Submissions

    In order to facilitate prompt processing of submissions, the TPSC 
strongly urges and prefers electronic (e-mail) submissions in response 
to this notice. In the event that an e-mail submission is impossible, 
submissions should be made by facsimile.
    Persons making submissions by e-mail should use the following 
subject line: ``EU Enlargement/EU Rice Import Regime'' followed by 
``Written Comments.'' Documents should be submitted as either Adobe 
PDF, WordPerfect, MSWord, or text (.TXT) files. Supporting 
documentation submitted as spreadsheets are acceptable as Quattro Pro 
or Excel. For any document containing business confidential information 
submitted electronically, 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 character ``P-''. The ``P-'' 
or ``BC-'' should be followed by the name of the submitter. Persons who 
make submissions by e-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.
    Written comments, notices of testimony, and testimony 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 2003.6 must be clearly marked 
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the top of each page, including any cover 
letter or cover page, and must be accompanied by a non-confidential 
summary of the confidential information. All public documents and non-
confidential summaries shall be available for public inspection in the 
USTR Reading Room. The USTR Reading Room is open to the public, by 
appointment only, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday. An appointment to review the file may be made by 
calling (202) 395-6186. General information concerning USTR may be 
obtained by accessing its Internet Web site (www.ustr.gov).

Annex: Proposed Additional Items

[[Page 58009]]



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                                                                                          MFN rate                            Proposed new tariff rate
            HTS                     Description         In quota/out of quota      2004         MFN unit 2004                  unit
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04062085...........................  Cheese (including           IQ...................          10%  .....................                           55%
                                      mixtures), nesoi, n/o
                                      0.5% by wt. of butterfat,
                                      grated or powdered,
                                      subject to add. U.S. note
                                      23 to Ch. 4.
04062089...........................  Cheese (including           IQ...................          10%  .....................                           55%
                                      mixtures), nesoi, o/0.5%
                                      by wt. of butterfat, w/
                                      cow's milk, grated or
                                      powdered, subject to add.
                                      U.S. note 16 to Ch. 4.
04063085...........................  Processed cheese (incl.     IQ...................          10%  .....................                           55%
                                      mixtures), nesoi, n/o
                                      0.5% by wt. butterfat,
                                      not grated or powdered,
                                      subject to Ch. 4 U.S.
                                      note 23, not GN15.
04064048...........................  Stilton cheese, nesoi, not  IQ...................          17%  .....................                           55%
                                      in original loaves,
                                      subject to add. U.S. note
                                      24 to Ch. 4.
04069016...........................  Edam and gouda cheese,      IQ...................          15%  .....................                           55%
                                      nesoi, subject to add.
                                      U.S. note 20 to Ch. 4.
04069042...........................  Romano, Reggiano,           OQ...................        2.146  $/kg.................                   3.7875 $/kg
                                      Parmesan, Provolone, and
                                      Provoletti cheese, nesoi,
                                      from cow's milk, not
                                      subj. to GN 15 or Ch. 4
                                      U.S. note 21.
04069093...........................  Cheeses & subst. for        .....................          10%  .....................                           55%
                                      cheese (incl. mixt.),
                                      nesoi, w/butterfat n/o
                                      0.5% by wt., subject to
                                      add. U.S. note 23 to Ch.
                                      4, not GN15.
04069099...........................  Cheeses & subst. for        .....................         8.5%  .....................                           55%
                                      cheese (incl. mixt.),
                                      nesoi, w/o cow's milk, w/
                                      butterfat o/0.5% by wt.,
                                      not GN15.
08052000...........................  Mandarins (including        .....................          1.9  cents/kg.............                  3.3 cents/kg
                                      tangerines and satsumas);
                                      clementines, wilkings and
                                      similar citrus hybrids,
                                      fresh or dried.
20087020...........................  Peaches (excluding          .....................          17%  .....................                           55%
                                      nectarines), otherwise
                                      prepared or preserved,
                                      not elsewhere specified
                                      or included.
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Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 04-21762 Filed 9-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W4-P