[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13250-13251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4877]



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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 332-498 and Chile FTA-103-020]


Certain Vegetables and Grape Juice: Probable Economic Effect of 
Accelerated Tariff Elimination for Certain Goods of Chile

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and request for written 
submissions.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on February 11, 2008, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), as amended by a letter 
received on February 22, 2008, for an investigation and advice pursuant 
to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. (332(g)) and in 
accordance with section 103 of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note), the Commission instituted 
Investigation No. 332-498 and Chile FTA-103-020, Certain Vegetables and 
Grape Juice: Probable Economic Effect of Accelerated Tariff Elimination 
for Certain Goods of Chile.

DATES: February 11, 2008: Date of receipt of request, amended by letter 
received February 22, 2008.
    March 7, 2008: Date of institution of investigation.
    April 4, 2008: Deadline for written statements.
    May 22, 2008: Transmittal of report to the 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 
and statements should be addressed to the Secretary, United States 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20436.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information may be obtained from 
Timothy McCarty, (202-205-3324 or [email protected]); for 
information on the legal aspects, contact William Gearhart of the 
Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). Hearing impaired individuals are advised 
that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the TDD 
terminal on (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://www.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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: According to the USTR's letter and annex 
thereto, the President may accelerate the elimination of duties under 
the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (U.S.-Chile FTA) on 
certain vegetables and grape juice that are qualifying goods of Chile 
and classified in the tariff items listed below. Duties on these goods 
would be eliminated on or about January 1, 2009. Section 201(b) of the 
U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Act) authorizes the 
President, subject to the consultation and layover requirements in 
section 103 of the Act, to proclaim such modifications as the United 
States may agree to with Chile regarding the staging of any duty 
treatment set forth in Annex 3.3 of the U.S.-Chile FTA. Section 103 of 
the Act requires the President to obtain advice regarding the proposed 
action from the Commission.
    The USTR requested that the Commission provide advice as to the 
probable economic effect of eliminating the U.S. tariff under the U.S.-
Chile FTA on domestic industries producing like or directly competitive 
articles, workers in these industries, and on consumers of the affected 
goods, on the articles provided for in the following Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule subheadings: (1) 0710.22.40 (beans, reduced in size); (2) 
0710.30.00 (spinach, New Zealand spinach, and orache spinach); (3) 
0710.40.00 (sweet corn); (4) 0710.80.97 (vegetables, nesi, uncooked or 
cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen, reduced in size); (5) 
0710.90.91 (mixtures of vegetables, nesi, uncooked or cooked by 
steaming or boiling in water, frozen); (6) 2005.99.80 (artichokes); and 
(7) 2009.69.00 (grape juice including grape must, other).
    As requested, the Commission will provide its advice to the USTR by 
May 22, 2008. USTR requested that the Commission mark as 
``confidential'' those portions of its report and working papers that 
contain the Commission's probable economic effect advice. The USTR 
requested that the Commission, as soon as possible after May 22, issue 
a public version of its report with portions classified as 
``confidential'' and any confidential business information deleted.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of a public hearing, interested 
parties are invited to submit written statements concerning the matters 
to be addressed by the Commission in 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 should be submitted 
to the Commission at the earliest practical date and should be received 
no later than the close of business on April 4, 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 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, from which the 
confidential business 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 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 this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR and the President. However, the Commission will 
not

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publish such confidential business information in the public version of 
its report in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm 
supplying the information.

    Issued: March 7, 2008.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E8-4877 Filed 3-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P