[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 168 (Thursday, August 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50130-50131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17233]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket No. WTO/DS-365]


WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding United States--
Domestic Support and Export Credit Guarantees for Agricultural Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative 
(``USTR'') is providing notice that Brazil has requested consultations 
with the United States under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') regarding U.S. domestic 
support measures and export credit guarantees for agricultural 
products. That request may be found at http://www.wto.org contained in 
a document designated as WT/DS365/1. USTR invites written comments from 
the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

DATES: Although USTR will accept any comments received during the 
course of the consultations, comments should be submitted on or before 
September 14, 2007 to be assured of timely consideration by USTR.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted (i) electronically, to 
[email protected], with ``Agricultural Subsidies (Brazil) (DS365)'' 
in the subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-
3640. For documents sent by fax, USTR requests that the submitter 
provide a confirmation copy to the electronic mail address listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Yocis, Assistant General 
Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC, (202) 395-6150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 127(b) of the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)) requires that notice and 
opportunity for comment be provided after the United States submits or 
receives a request for the establishment of a WTO dispute settlement 
panel. In an effort to provide additional opportunity for comment, USTR 
is providing notice that consultations have been requested pursuant to 
the WTO Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement 
of Disputes (``DSU''). If such a panel is established pursuant to the 
DSU, such panel, which would hold its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, 
would be expected to issue a report on its findings and recommendations 
approximately nine months after it is established.

Major Issues Raised by Brazil

    In its request for consultations, Brazil alleges that the United 
States has provided support to domestic agricultural producers in 
excess of U.S. commitments with respect to the Aggregate Measurement of 
Support (``AMS'') as described in Article 6.2 of the WTO Agreement on 
Agriculture and the U.S. WTO schedule of commitments. According to 
Brazil, the United States has provided domestic support in excess of 
its AMS commitments in each of the years 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 
and 2005, in breach of Article 3.2 of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture. 
In addition, Brazil alleges that U.S. export credit guarantees under 
the GSM-102 program and the Supplier Credit Guarantee Program in 
respect of all agricultural products, whether or not included in the 
U.S. WTO schedule of agricultural export subsidy commitments, are 
export subsidies prohibited under Articles 3.1(a) and 3.2 of the WTO 
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and provided in 
violation of Articles 3.3, 8, 9.1 and 10.1 of the WTO Agreement on 
Agriculture.

Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning the issues raised in the dispute. Comments should be 
submitted (i)

[[Page 50131]]

electronically, to [email protected], with ``Agricultural Subsidies 
(Brazil) (DS365)'' in the subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy 
McKinzy at (202) 395-3640. For documents sent by fax, USTR requests 
that the submitter provide a confirmation copy to the electronic mail 
address listed above.
    USTR encourages the submission of documents in Adobe PDF format as 
attachments to an electronic mail. Interested persons who make 
submissions by electronic 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.
    Comments must be in English. A person requesting that information 
contained in a comment submitted by that person be treated as 
confidential business information must certify that such information is 
business confidential and would not customarily be released to the 
public by the submitter. Confidential business information must be 
clearly designated as such and the submission must be marked ``Business 
Confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page and each 
succeeding page.
    Information or advice contained in a comment submitted, other than 
business confidential information, may be determined by USTR to be 
confidential in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of the Trade Act of 
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that information 
or advice may qualify as such, the submitter--
    (1) Must clearly so designate the information or advice;
    (2) Must clearly mark the material as ``Submitted in Confidence'' 
at the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page; and
    (3) Is encouraged to provide a non-confidential summary of the 
information or advice.
    Pursuant to section 127(e) of the URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR 
will maintain a file on this dispute settlement proceeding, accessible 
to the public, in the USTR Reading Room, which is located at 1724 F 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. The public file will include non-
confidential comments received by USTR from the public with respect to 
the dispute; if a dispute settlement panel is convened or in the event 
of an appeal from such a panel, the U.S. submissions, the submissions, 
or non-confidential summaries of submissions, received from other 
participants in the dispute; the report of the panel; and, if 
applicable, the report of the Appellate Body. An appointment to review 
the public file (Docket WTO/DS-365, Brazil Ag Subsidies Dispute) may be 
made by calling the USTR Reading Room at (202) 395-6186. The USTR 
Reading Room is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 
4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Daniel Brinza,
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Monitoring and 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E7-17233 Filed 8-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W7-P