[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33824-33825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-14236]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-520]


Pharmaceutical Products and Chemical Intermediates, Fourth 
Review: Advice Concerning the Addition of Certain Products to the 
Pharmaceutical Appendix to the HTS

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and invitation to file written 
submissions.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated May 27, 2010 from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) pursuant to section 115 of 
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3524) and section 
332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332 (g)), the U.S. 
International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation 
No. 332-520, Pharmaceutical Products and Chemical Intermediates, Fourth 
Review: Advice Concerning the Addition of Certain

[[Page 33825]]

Products to the Pharmaceutical Appendix to the HTS.

DATES: 
    July 14, 2010: Deadline for filing all written submissions.
    September 1, 2010: Transmittal of Commission report to the United 
States Trade Representative.

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 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Philip Stone, Project Leader, Office 
of Industries (202-205-3424 or [email protected]). For information 
on the legal aspects of this investigation, 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 may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 
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: As indicated in the USTR's letter, as part of the 
Uruguay Round negotiations, the United States and 21 other countries 
agreed to eliminate duties on certain pharmaceutical products and 
chemical intermediates used primarily for the production of 
pharmaceuticals (pharmaceuticals zero-for-zero initiative) and to 
conduct periodic reviews to identify further products that could be 
covered by this duty elimination initiative. As a result of 
multilateral negotiations in the WTO in 1996, 1998, and 2006, the 
United States and other participants eliminated duties on additional 
pharmaceutical items. The USTR indicated that participants in the zero-
for-zero initiative are conducting a fourth review to determine if 
products can be added to the initiative. As part of the consultation 
and layover requirements in section 115 of the URAA relating to an 
action by the President to eliminate U.S. duties on additional 
pharmaceutical products and chemical intermediates, the President must 
obtain advice regarding the proposed action from the U.S. International 
Trade Commission.
    The USTR asked the Commission to provide advice in the form of 
information on the pharmaceutical products and chemical intermediates 
proposed for addition to the pharmaceuticals zero-for-zero initiative 
as follows: (1) A summary description of the products currently covered 
under the initiative as set out in the Pharmaceutical Appendix to the 
U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (Appendix) and those proposed to be 
added to that Appendix; (2) an explanation of the relationship between 
the various elements in the Appendix and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States; and (3) an estimate of current U.S. imports and, 
where possible, current U.S. exports of the products included in the 
current Pharmaceutical Appendix and the proposed additions to the 
Appendix, based on product groupings as necessary.
    The Commission has posted a list of the proposed additions to the 
Pharmaceutical Appendix on its Web site at http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/ongoing/332_520_request_letter.pdf. The 
Commission expects to provide its report to the USTR by September 1, 
2010.
    Written Submissions: Interested parties are invited to file written 
submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later 
than 5:15 p.m., July 14, 2010. 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 
for inspection by interested parties.
    In his request letter, the USTR stated that he intends to make the 
Commission's report available to the public in its entirety, and asked 
that the Commission not include any confidential business information 
or national security classified information in the report that the 
Commission sends to the USTR. Any confidential business information 
received by the Commission in this investigation and used in preparing 
this report will not be published in a manner that would reveal the 
operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: June 9, 2010.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2010-14236 Filed 6-14-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P