[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1778-1779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-329]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


U.S.-EU High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: At the November 28, 2011, European Union (EU)-United States 
Summit meeting, President Obama, European Commission President Barroso, 
and European Council President Von Rompuy directed the Transatlantic 
Economic Council to establish a High Level Working Group on Jobs and 
Growth, led by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and EU Trade 
Commissioner Karel De Gucht. The Working Group was asked to identify 
policies and measures to increase U.S.-EU trade and investment to 
support mutually beneficial job creation, economic growth, and 
international competitiveness. The Leaders also asked the Working Group 
to work closely with public and private sector stakeholder groups, and 
to draw on existing dialogues and mechanisms, as appropriate.
    To ensure that it has access to a wide range of views, ideas, and 
options concerning policies and measures to increase transatlantic 
trade and investment, the Working Group plans to consult extensively 
with business, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and other 
stakeholders. As part of this process, and consistent with the Leaders' 
mandate, the U.S. Government welcomes written input from members of the 
public on options for increasing trade and investment in areas 
including, but not limited to, the following:
     Conventional barriers to trade in goods, such as tariffs 
and tariff-rate quotas;
     Reduction, elimination, or prevention of barriers to trade 
in goods, services, and investment;
     Opportunities for enhancing the compatibility of 
regulations and standards;
     Reduction, elimination, or prevention of unnecessary 
``behind the border'' non-tariff barriers to trade in all categories;
     Enhanced cooperation for the development of rules and 
principles on global issues of common concern and also for the 
achievement of shared economic goals relating to third countries.
    For each option or proposal that is suggested, submissions should 
seek to assess:

[[Page 1779]]

     the short- and medium-term impact on economic growth, job 
creation, and competitiveness;
     the feasibility; and
     the implications for, and consistency with, bilateral and 
multilateral trade obligations.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted no later than February 3, 
2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Weiner, Deputy Assistant U.S. 
Trade Representative for Europe, (202) 395-9679, or Kate Kalutkiewicz, 
Director for European Affairs, (202) 395-9460, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Transatlantic trade and investment flows constitute the 
largest economic relationship in the world, creating jobs, increasing 
economic growth, and driving competitiveness on both sides of the 
Atlantic. The United States and the EU are committed to identifying new 
ways of strengthening their economic relationship and developing its 
full potential. A number of studies and proposals have advocated new 
bilateral trade, investment, and other economic agreements to access 
the untapped economic opportunities of the relationship. The High Level 
Working Group on Jobs and Growth will consider these and other 
proposals aimed at promoting job creation and growth through expanded 
trade and investment.
    Upon completing its analysis, the Working Group will consider and 
recommend practical means necessary to implement any policy measures it 
identifies. These could include a range of possible initiatives, from 
enhanced regulatory cooperation to negotiation of one or more bilateral 
trade agreements addressing the issues above.
    The Working Group will provide an interim update to Leaders on the 
status of its work in June 2012. It will submit a report with findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations to the Leaders by the end of 2012.
    Submissions: To facilitate expeditious handling, the public is 
strongly encouraged to submit documents electronically via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2012-0001. Submissions should 
contain the term ``U.S.-EU High Level Working Group'' in the ``Type 
comment:'' field on http://www.regulations.gov. 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.) 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. 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.

L. Daniel Mullaney,
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East.
[FR Doc. 2012-329 Filed 1-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W2-P