[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77778-77779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28327]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-2104-18]


U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide 
and Selected Sectoral Effects

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on November 17, 2004, of a request from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted 
investigation No. TA-2104-18, U.S.-Central America Free Trade 
Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected Sectoral Effects, under 
section 2104(f) of the Trade Act of 2002 (19 U.S.C. 3804(f)).

Background

    As requested by the USTR, the Commission will prepare a report as 
specified in section 2104(f)(2)-(3) of the Trade Act of 2002 (the Trade 
Act) assessing the likely impact of the U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) 
with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua 
(Central America) on the United States economy as a whole and on 
specific industry sectors and the interests of U.S. consumers.
    Section 2104(f)(2) requires that the Commission submit its report 
to the President and the Congress not later than 90 days after the 
President enters into the agreement, which he can do 90 days after he 
notifies the Congress of his intent to do so. The President notified 
Congress of his intent to enter into an FTA with Central America on 
February 20, 2004. At that time, the President also stated that 
negotiations were under way to integrate the Dominican Republic into 
the FTA with Central America. That FTA was signed on August 5, 2004, 
and the Commission provided its report (U.S.-Central America-Dominican 
Republic Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected 
Sectoral Effects, Inv. No. TA-2104-13, publication 3717) on August 27, 
2004. A public hearing for that investigation was held on April 27, 
2004.
    In his letter the USTR stated that the Dominican Republic 
subsequently (on October 1, 2004) enacted a tax on beverages sweetened 
with high fructose corn syrup that the United States regards as 
incompatible with the Dominican Republic's obligations under the signed 
FTA. He said that as a result of that action he informed Congress on 
October 1, 2004, that he would not recommend including the Dominican 
Republic in the legislation to implement the FTA signed on August 5, 
2004 if the Dominican tax remained in place, and that the 
Administration would take steps to move forward with an FTA with the 
Central American countries. He said that the FTA with the Central 
American countries ``otherwise is the same as the one that the 
Commission has already assessed'' that included the Dominican Republic. 
In his letter requesting a new Commission report, the USTR asked the 
Commission to supplement its August 27 report by assessing the likely 
impact of a free trade agreement with Central America on the United 
States economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors and the 
interests of U.S. consumers.
    As specified in section 2104(f)(2)-(3) of the Trade Act, the 
Commission's report will assess the likely impact of the FTA on the 
United States economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors, 
including the impact the agreement will have on the gross domestic 
product, exports and imports, aggregate employment and employment 
opportunities, the production, employment, and competitive position of 
industries likely to be significantly affected by the FTA, and the 
interests of U.S. consumers. In preparing its assessment, the 
Commission will review available economic assessments regarding the 
FTA, including literature regarding any substantially equivalent 
proposed agreement, and provide in its assessment a description of the 
analyses used and conclusions drawn in such literature, and a 
discussion of areas of consensus and divergence between the various 
analyses and conclusions, including those of the Commission regarding 
the agreement. Section 2104(f)(2) requires that the Commission submit 
its report to the President and Congress not later than 90 days after 
the President enters into an agreement with the five Central American 
countries.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 28, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Stamps, Project Leader, Office 
of Economics (202-205-3227 or [email protected]). For information 
on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of 
the Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). For media information, contact Peg 
O'Laughlin (202-205-1819). Hearing impaired individuals are advised 
that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the TDD 
terminal on (202-205-1810).
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on January 18, 2005, 
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC. All persons have the right to appear by counsel or in 
person, to present information, and to be heard. Persons wishing to 
appear at the public hearing should file a letter with the Secretary, 
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20436, no later than the close of business (5:15 p.m.) 
on January 4, 2005. In addition, persons appearing should file 
prehearing briefs (original and 14 copies) with the Secretary by the 
close of business on January 4, 2005. Posthearing briefs should be 
filed with the Secretary by the close of business on January 26, 2005. 
In the event that no requests to appear at the hearing are received by 
the close of business on January 4, 2005, the hearing will be

[[Page 77779]]

canceled. Moreover, in the event that there is no hearing, the 
Commission shall reference in this report relevant testimony from the 
April 27, 2004 hearing. Any person interested in attending the hearing 
as an observer or nonparticipant may call the Secretary to the 
Commission (202-205-1816) after January 10, 2005 to determine whether 
the hearing will be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to appearing at the 
public hearing, interested persons are invited to submit written 
statements concerning the investigation. Submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. To be assured of 
consideration by the Commission, written statements related to the 
Commission's report should be submitted to the Commission at the 
earliest practical date, and should be received by the close of 
business on January 26, 2005. All written submissions, including 
briefs, must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 
201.8 of the rules require that a signed original (or 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 business information (CBI) must be deleted (see the 
following paragraph for further information regarding CBI). 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 rules (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]).
    Any submissions, including briefs, that contain CBI also must 
conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
rules (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the 
cover of the document and the individual pages clearly be marked as to 
whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, 
and that the CBI be clearly identified by means of brackets. All 
written submissions, except CBI, will be made available for inspection 
by interested parties.
    The report that the Commission sends to the President and the 
Congress will not contain CBI. Although the Commission may aggregate or 
otherwise use CBI it receives in the course of this investigation in 
preparing its report, the Commission will not publish CBI in the report 
in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the 
information. The report will be made available to the public on the 
Commission's Web site.
    The public record for this report may ve viewed on the Commission's 
electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.uistc.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.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: December 21, 2004.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 04-28327 Filed 12-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P