[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 230 (Friday, November 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67756-67757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23224]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 332-494]


U.S.-Israel Agricultural Trade: Probable Economic Effect on U.S. 
and Israeli Agricultural Industries of Conducting Such Trade in a Free 
Trade Environment

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on October 23, 2007, of a request from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) under section 332(g) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the Commission instituted 
investigation No. 332-494, U.S.-Israel Agricultural Trade: Probable 
Economic Effect on U.S. and Israeli Agricultural Industries of 
Conducting Such Trade in a Free Trade Environment.

DATES: December 21, 2007: Deadline for filing requests to appear at 
public hearing.
    January 3, 2008: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    January 10, 2008: Public hearing.
    January 16, 2008: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    February 1, 2008: Deadline for all other submissions.
    April 23, 2008: Transmittal of Commission report to USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions, 
including requests to appear at the hearing, should be addressed to the 
Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20436.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project leader Mark Simone (202-205-
2049 or [email protected]) or deputy project leader Erick Oh (202-
205-3033 or [email protected]) for information specific to this 
investigation. For information on the legal aspects of the 
investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of 
the General Counsel at 202-205-3091 or [email protected]. The 
media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations 
at 202-205-1819 or [email protected]. Hearing impaired 
individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained 
by contacting the TDD

[[Page 67757]]

terminal at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission 
may also be obtained by accessing its internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for this investigation may be viewed 
on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS-ONLINE) at http://usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm. 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.
    Background: According to the USTR's letter, the Governments of the 
United States and Israel are scheduled to initiate discussion in 
January 2008 of the United States-Israel Agreement on Trade in 
Agricultural Products (ATAP) to seek ways to improve the ATAP prior to 
its expiration on December 31, 2008. The ATAP is an adjunct to the 
Agreement on the Establishment of a Free Trade Area between the 
Government of Israel and the Government of the United States of America 
(FTA), which was implemented in 1985 and applies to trade in all 
products between the two countries. According to the letter, the United 
States and Israel have held differing views as to the meaning of 
certain rights and obligations related to agricultural products under 
the FTA. The ATAP was intended to address issues that have arisen based 
on these differing interpretations. Following the implementation of the 
1985 FTA, most Israeli agricultural products exported to the United 
States had duty-free access to the U.S. market. The letter indicates 
that U.S. exporters of agricultural products, however, have continued 
to face significant market access barriers in Israel despite the ATAP; 
the letter states that an objective of the proposed negotiations on the 
ATAP is to address these barriers.
    To assist USTR in preparing for these negotiations, the USTR 
requested, under authority delegated by the President and pursuant to 
section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, that the Commission initiate 
an investigation and prepare a report that provides advice as to the 
probable economic effect on both the U.S. and Israeli agricultural 
industries, respectively, if U.S.-Israel agricultural trade was 
conducted in a free trade environment. The USTR asked that the 
Commission, to the extent practicable, include the following in its 
report:
     Advice at the industry level that focuses on the main 
products traded or likely to be traded between the United States and 
Israel. The USTR asked that the Commission, in preparing its advice, 
assume that the new ATAP would include elimination of tariffs and 
tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on all agricultural products so as to 
calculate its maximum potential impact. The USTR asked that the 
Commission seek to measure these effects, to the extent data permit, 
through the use of partial equilibrium analysis or other quantitative 
methods.
     A list of the principal existing Israeli non-tariff 
barriers to agricultural trade, whether or not justified (such as 
technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and 
TRQ administration) and information on TRQ fill rates, compiled from 
publicly available sources, and an analysis of their impact on U.S. 
agricultural exports to Israel.
     A description of Israeli agricultural trade, covering the 
major products and trading partners during 2002-2006, focusing on the 
countries and regions that have free trade agreements in effect with 
Israel.
     A description of the Israeli agricultural sector compiled 
from publicly available sources, including, to the extent possible, 
regional production and employment patterns, and principal factors 
affecting the competitiveness of the Israeli agricultural sector in 
domestic and international markets.
    As requested by the USTR, the Commission expects to deliver its 
report by April 23, 2008. The USTR indicated that portions of the 
report will be classified as confidential.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
January 10, 2008. All persons have the right to appear by counsel or in 
person, to present information, and to be heard. Requests to appear at 
the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary, no later than 
5:15 p.m., December 21, 2007, in accordance with the requirements in 
the ``Written Submissions'' section below. In the event that, as of the 
close of business on December 21, 2007, no witnesses are scheduled to 
appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any person 
interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant 
may call the Secretary to the Commission (202-205-2000) after December 
21, 2007, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements and briefs concerning this investigation. All written 
submissions, including requests to appear at the hearing, statements, 
and briefs, should be addressed to the Secretary. Pre-hearing briefs 
and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., January 3, 
2008; and post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later 
than 5:15 p.m., January 16, 2008. All other submissions should be filed 
not later than 5:15 p.m., February 1, 2008. 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 requires 
that a signed original (or a copy so designated) and fourteen (14) 
copies of each document be filed. In the event that confidential 
treatment of a document is requested, at least four (4) additional 
copies must be filed, in which the confidential information must be 
deleted (see the following paragraph for further information regarding 
confidential business information). The Commission's rules authorize 
filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means 
only to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see 
Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should 
contact the Secretary (202-205-2000). 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 ``non-confidential'' 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 this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR. If the Commission publishes a public version of 
the report, the published version will not include portions of the 
report that the USTR has classified as confidential and will also not 
include any confidential business information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: November 21, 2007.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E7-23224 Filed 11-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P