[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:
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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