[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76479-76480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31318]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Comments on Mexico's Expression of Interest in the 
Proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Mexican Economy Secretary Bruno Ferrari recently stated 
Mexico's intention to begin consultations with the Trans-Pacific 
Partnership (TPP) countries towards joining the TPP negotiations. The 
Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is assessing 
Mexico's expression of interest in the TPP negotiations in light of the 
TPP's high standards for liberalizing trade and specific issues of 
concern to the United States regarding Mexican barriers to agriculture, 
services, and manufacturing trade, including non-tariff measures. In 
conducting its assessment, USTR is seeking public comments on these 
concerns and all other elements related to Mexico's interest in the TPP 
negotiations.

DATES: Written comments are due by noon, January 13, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submissions via on-line: http://www.regulations.gov. For 
alternatives to on-line submissions please contact Donald W. Eiss at 
(202) 395-3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning requirements 
for written comments, please contact Donald W. Eiss at (202) 395-3475. 
All other questions regarding this notice should be directed to Kent 
Shigetomi, Director for Mexico, NAFTA, and the Caribbean, at (202) 395-
3412.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 14, 2009, after consulting with 
relevant Congressional committees, USTR notified Congress of the 
President's intent to initiate negotiations on a TPP trade agreement. 
These negotiations aim to achieve a high-standard, 21st century 
agreement with a membership and coverage that provides economically 
significant market access opportunities for America's workers, farmers, 
ranchers, service providers, and small businesses and that can expand 
to include additional countries across the Asia-Pacific region. 
Currently, the negotiations include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, 
Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, as well as 
the United States. Further information regarding the TPP negotiations 
can be found at http://www.ustr.gov/tpp.
    On November 13, 2011, Mexican Economy Secretary Bruno Ferrari 
stated Mexico's intention to begin consultations with the current TPP 
participating countries towards joining the TPP negotiations. The Chair 
of the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites 
interested persons to provide written comments that will assist USTR in 
assessing Mexico's expression of interest in the TPP negotiations in 
light of the TPP's high standards for liberalizing trade and specific 
issues of concern to the United States regarding Mexican barriers to 
agriculture, services, and manufacturing trade, including non-tariff 
measures. Commenters may address these issues or any other specific 
barriers affecting U.S. exports to or investment in Mexico. The TPSC 
Chair invites comments on all of these matters, and, in particular, on 
the following:
    (a) Economic costs and benefits to U.S. producers and consumers of 
eliminating tariffs and eliminating or reducing non-tariff barriers on 
goods and services traded with Mexico.
    (b) Treatment by Mexico of specific goods (described by HTSUS 
numbers), including product-specific import or export interests or 
barriers.
    (c) Adequacy of existing customs measures to ensure that only 
qualifying imported goods from Mexico receive preferential treatment, 
and appropriate rules of origin for goods entering the United States.
    (d) Mexican sanitary and phytosanitary measures or technical 
barriers to trade that should be addressed.
    (e) Existing barriers to trade in services between the United 
States and Mexico that should be addressed.
    (f) Relevant electronic commerce issues.
    (g) Relevant trade-related intellectual property rights issues.
    (h) Relevant investment issues.
    (i) Relevant competition-related matters.
    (j) Relevant government procurement issues.
    (k) Relevant environmental issues.
    (l) Relevant labor issues.
    (m) Relevant transparency issues.
    (n) Relevant issues related to innovation and competitiveness, new 
technologies and emerging economic sectors, the participation of small- 
and medium-sized businesses in trade, and the development of efficient 
production and supply chains.

Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting written comments must do so in English and must 
identify (on the first page of the submission) ``Mexico's Expression of 
Interest in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Negotiations.'' In 
order to be assured of consideration, comments should be submitted by 
noon, January 13, 2012.
    In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of 
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line 
submissions, using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments 
should be submitted under the following docket: USTR-2011-0020. To find 
the docket, enter the docket number in the ``Enter Keyword or ID'' 
window at the http://www.regulations.gov 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 ``Notices'' under ``Document Type'' on the search-results 
page, and click on the link entitled ``Submit a 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'' tab.)

[[Page 76480]]

    The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of 
making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by attaching a 
document. USTR prefers submissions to be provided in an attached 
document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type ``See 
attached'' in the ``Type comment & Upload File'' field. USTR also 
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 comments 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 comments. 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 comments or reply 
comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business 
confidential information should name their file using the character 
``P'', followed by the name of the person or entity submitting the 
comments.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the comments 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 comments through http://www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements 
must be made with Donald W. Eiss in advance of transmitting a comment. 
Mr. Eiss should be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General information 
concerning USTR is available at http://www.ustr.gov.

Douglas Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2011-31318 Filed 12-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W2-P