[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 131 (Friday, July 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39613-39614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16756]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Proposals To Accelerate Tariff Elimination and Modify 
the Rules of Origin Under the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to file proposals requesting accelerated 
tariff elimination and changes to the rules of origin under the United 
States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (``the Agreement'' or ``USCFTA'').

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SUMMARY: This notice requests that interested persons submit proposals 
seeking accelerated tariff elimination under the USCFTA and describes 
the procedures for filing proposals. This notice also requests 
proposals on appropriate changes that the Office of the U.S. Trade 
Representative (USTR) should consider for liberalizing the USCFTA's 
rules of origin.

DATES: Proposals must be submitted to USTR no later than 5 p.m., August 
6, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Proposals should be submitted electronically via the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. For alternatives to on-line 
submissions please contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade 
Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 395-3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions, contact 
Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, at 
(202) 395-3475. All other questions should be directed to Kent 
Shigetomi, Office of the Americas, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Room 523, Washington, DC 20508. 
His telephone number is (202) 395-3412.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 3.3(4) of the USCFTA provides that 
the United States and Chile may agree to accelerate the elimination of 
customs duties set out in their respective tariff schedules. Section 
201(b) of the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
Act (``the FTA Act'' or ``the Act'') authorizes the President to 
proclaim modifications in the staging of duty treatment set out in the 
Agreement, subject to the Act's consultation and layover requirements.
    The USCFTA requires each government to provide preferential tariff 
treatment to goods that meet the Agreement's origin rules. In the 
United States, those rules are implemented through the FTA Act. Under 
the Act, goods imported into the United States qualify for preferential 
treatment if they meet the requirements of the general USCFTA rules of 
origin set out in section 202 of the Act, and the USCFTA product-
specific rules set out in the HTS. The Agreement allows the Parties to 
amend the Agreement's rules of origin. Section 202(o)(2) of the USCFTA 
Act authorizes the President to proclaim modifications to the USCFTA's 
product-specific origin rules, subject to the consultation and layover 
provisions of section 103(a) of the Act. In 2008, the United States and 
Chile agreed on a set of goods for which the parties would eliminate 
tariffs ahead of schedule. Those tariffs were eliminated on January 1, 
2009. In 2010, the United States and Chile reached agreement on 
proposed changes to the rules of origin, but have not yet implemented 
these changes. The United States and Chile have now agreed to consider 
further acceleration of the elimination of USCFTA tariffs and further 
liberalization of the agreement's rules of origin.

Additional Information

    In considering whether to accelerate the elimination of tariffs or 
to make further changes to the agreement's rules of origin and, if such 
changes were made, the scope or extent of such changes, the United 
States and Chile expect to take into account several factors in 
considering whether to make such changes, including: (1) The extent 
that any such changes may reduce transaction and manufacturing costs or 
increase trade between Chile and the United States; (2) the feasibility 
of devising, implementing, and monitoring modified rules of origin; and 
(3) the level and breadth of interest that manufacturers, processors, 
traders, and consumers in the United States and Chile express for 
making particular changes. The United States and Chile expect to make 
only those changes that are broadly supported by stakeholders in both 
countries.

Requirements for Proposals

    Submissions should indicate whether the subject of the proposal has 
been discussed with representatives of the relevant sector in Chile 
and, if such discussions have taken place, the result of those 
discussions. Submissions should indicate if representatives of the 
relevant sector in Chile do not support the proposal. USTR encourages 
interested parties to consider submitting proposals jointly with 
interested parties in Chile.
    Scope and Coverage of Proposals: USTR encourages interested parties 
to review the broadest appropriate range of items and to submit 
proposals that reflect a consensus reached after such a broad-based 
review. A single proposal can thus include requests covering multiple 
tariff headings. Entire 8-digit tariff subheadings should be covered, 
but proposals may also be submitted at the 6, 4, or 2 digit level where 
the intent is to cover all subsidiary duties.
    Requirements for Submissions. Persons submitting proposals must do 
so in English and must specify (on the first page of the submission) 
the ``Chile FTA Tariff Acceleration,'' ``Chile FTA Rules of Origin 
Liberalization,'' or both. Proposals must be received by August 6, 
2010.
    In order to ensure the most timely and expeditious receipt and 
consideration of proposals, USTR has arranged to accept on-line 
submissions via http://www.regulations.gov. To submit proposals via 
http://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR-2010-0016 on the 
home page and click ``search''. The site will provide a search-results 
page listing all documents associated with this docket. Find a 
reference to this notice by selecting ``Notice'' under ``Document 
Type'' on the left side of the search-results page, and click on the 
link entitled ``Submit Comment.'' (For further information on using the 
http://www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources 
provided on the Web site by clicking on the ``Help'' link at the top of 
the home page.)
    The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of 
providing comments by filling in a ``Type Comment and Upload File'' 
field, or by attaching a document. It is expected that most comments 
will be provided in an attached document. If a document is attached, it 
is necessary and sufficient to type ``See attached'' in the ``Type

[[Page 39614]]

Comment and Upload File'' field. USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft 
Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the submission is in an 
application other than those two, please indicate the name of the 
application in the ``Comments'' field.
    For any proposals submitted electronically containing business 
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential 
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing 
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS 
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions 
containing business confidential information must also submit a public 
version of their proposals. The file name of the public version should 
begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed 
by the name of the person or entity submitting the proposal. Filers 
submitting proposals containing no business confidential information 
should name their file using the character ``P'', followed by the name 
of the person or entity submitting the comment or proposal.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the proposals themselves. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
    USTR strongly urges submitters to file proposals through http://www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements 
must be made with Ms. Blue in advance of transmitting a proposal. Ms. 
Blue should be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General information 
concerning the Office of the United States Trade Representative may be 
obtained by accessing its Internet Web site (http://www.ustr.gov).

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010-16756 Filed 7-8-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W0-P