[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10066-10067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2750]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. Nos. TA-131-032 and TA-2104-021]


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

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigations and scheduling of hearing.

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DATES: Effective Date: February 21, 2006.
SUMMARY: Following receipt on February 6, 2006, of a request from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted 
investigation Nos. TA-131-032 and TA-2104-021, U.S.-Republic of Korea 
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 these 
investigations may be obtained from Jonathan Coleman (202-205-3465; 
[email protected]) or Brad Gehrke (202-205-3329; 
[email protected]), Office of Industries, United States 
International Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20436. For information 
on the legal aspects of these investigations, 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 February 2, 2006, the USTR notified the Congress of 
the President's intent to enter into negotiations for a free trade 
agreement (FTA) with the Republic of Korea (Korea). 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 of Korea (i) on industries in the United States 
producing like or directly competitive products, and (ii) on consumers. 
In preparing the 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 2006 Harmonized Tariff System 
nomenclature and 2005 trade data. The advice with respect to the 
removal of U.S. duties on imports from Korea 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 on the removal of the duty.
    Also as 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 Korea 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 the USTR by July 
14, 2006. The USTR indicated that those sections of the Commission's 
report that relate to the analysis of probable economic effects will be 
classified and that it also considers the Commission's report to be an 
interagency memorandum containing pre-decisional advice and subject to 
the deliberative process privilege.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with these 
investigations is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on April 20, 2006, at 
the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be 
filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., March 29, 2006, in 
accordance with the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. 
In the event that, as of the close of business on March 29, 2006, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear, 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 March 29, 2006 
to determine whether the hearing will be held.
    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 these investigations in accordance with 
the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. Any prehearing 
briefs or statement should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., April 3, 
2006; the deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or statements is 5:15 
p.m., April 27, 2006.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements concerning the matters to be addressed by the Commission in 
its report on this 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 no later than 5:15 p.m., April 27, 2006. 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). 
Section 201.8 of the rules requires 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 must be deleted (see the 
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential 
business information). 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

[[Page 10067]]

Secretary (202-205-2000 or [email protected]).
    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 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or 
``nonconfidential'' version, and that the confidential business 
information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written 
submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made 
available in the Office of the Secretary to the Commission for 
inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of these investigations in the 
report it sends to the USTR and the President. However, should the 
Commission publish a public version of this report, such confidential 
business information 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) http://edis.usitc.gov. Hearing impaired 
individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the 
Commission's 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

    Korea, tariffs, and imports.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 22, 2006.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E6-2750 Filed 2-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P