[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58688-58689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20374]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Notice of Request for Public Comments on the Review and 
Renegotiation of the United States-Israel Agreement on Trade in 
Agricultural Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is soliciting written 
comments on U.S. objectives for upcoming negotiations on the renewal of 
the United States-Israel Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products 
(ATAP). Specifically, the TPSC is seeking comments on general 
negotiating objectives and product-specific requests.

DATES: Public comments are due by Noon, Wednesday, November 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submissions by electronic mail should be submitted to 
FR0802ustr.eop.gov. Submissions by facsimile: Gloria Blue, Executive 
Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 395-6143. The public 
is strongly encouraged to submit documents electronically rather than 
by facsimile. (See requirements for submissions below.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
public comments, contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, TPSC, Office 
of the USTR, 1724 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508 (202) 395-3475. 
All other questions regarding the negotiations should be addressed to 
Andrew Stephens, Director for Bilateral Agricultural Affairs, Office of 
the USTR, (202) 395-9637.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1985 Agreement on the Establishment of a 
Free Trade Area between the Government of Israel and the Government of 
the United States of America (Israel FTA) was intended to apply, in 
full, to trade in all products between the two countries. However, the 
United States and Israel held differing interpretations as to the 
meaning of certain rights and obligations related to agricultural 
products under the Israel FTA. In the interest of achieving practical 
improvements in agricultural trade between the two countries, the 
United States and Israel in 1996 signed the Agreement on Trade in 
Agricultural Products (ATAP). The 1996 ATAP was an adjunct to the 
Israel FTA. The agreement expired and then was subsequently renewed in 
2004 for a period ending on December 31, 2008.
    According to the ATAP, U.S. agricultural products exported to 
Israel are divided into three categories: (1) Products which are exempt 
from tariffs, (2) products which are exempt from tariffs within certain 
quantities (tariff-rate quotas), and (3) products which are imported at 
a preferential tariff rate. Following the implementation of the 1985 
Israel FTA, most Israeli agricultural products exported to the United 
States had duty-free access to the U.S. market. However, certain 
Israeli products remained subject to tariff-rate quotas. Therefore, 
duty-free quota allocations, in excess of U.S. WTO commitments, are the 
principle concessions granted to Israeli products as a result of the 
ATAP.
    The United States and Israel have committed to initiate a review of 
the operation of the ATAP and to seek further improvements. In 
preparation, USTR is soliciting detailed written comments, including 
data and arguments, addressing:
    (a) General and product-specific negotiating objectives for the 
ATAP;
    (b) Economic costs and benefits to U.S. producers and exporters 
related to the reduction or removal of current restrictions to the 
Israeli agricultural market;
    (c) Product-specific export interests or barriers (described by 
Harmonized Tariff System numbers);

[[Page 58689]]

    (d) Detailed accounts of particular trade-restrictive measures that 
should be addressed in the negotiations; and,
    (e) Other relevant issues, including potential environmental 
implications of the proposed agreement.

Written Comments

    In order to facilitate prompt processing of submissions, the Office 
of the United States Trade Representative strongly urges and prefers 
electronic (e-mail) submissions in response to this notice. In the 
event than an e-mail submission is impossible, submissions should be 
made by facsimile.
    Interested persons may submit written comments by Noon, Wednesday, 
November 14, 2007. All written comments must state clearly the position 
taken, describe with particularity the supporting rationale, and be in 
English. The first page of written comments must specify the subject 
matter, including, as applicable, the product(s) (with HTSUS numbers).
    Persons making submissions by e-mail should use the following 
subject line: ``United States-Israel ATAP Written Comments.'' Documents 
should be submitted as Adobe PDF, MSWord files or Word Perfect. 
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 characters ``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. 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 will be placed in a file open to public inspection 
pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5, except business confidential information 
submitted in accordance with 15 CFR 2003.6. Business confidential 
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 
nonconfidential summary of the confidential information. All public 
documents and nonconfidential 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 must 
be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance and may be made by calling 
(202) 395-6186.

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
 [FR Doc. E7-20374 Filed 10-15-07; 8:45 am]
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