[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66582-66583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27088]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Notice of Request for Information for the Proposed United States-
East African Community Commercial Dialogue

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Request for Information.

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SUMMARY: In June 2012, the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, 
the EAC member country Governments, and the Government of the United 
States agreed to explore establishing a Commercial Dialogue as part of 
the U.S.-EAC Trade and Investment Partnership (``Partnership''). The 
U.S.-EAC Commercial Dialogue will be a consultative mechanism through 
which the United States, the EAC Secretariat, and EAC member country 
governments, will work to advance priorities that will strengthen the 
U.S.-EAC trade and investment relationship, as well as support the 
EAC's regional integration process. The Market Access and Compliance 
division of the International Trade Administration, through its Office 
of Africa, seeks public comment and recommendations concerning those 
areas upon which the Commercial Dialogue should focus its efforts in 
order to reflect the priorities and concerns of the business community, 
civil society, and other interested stakeholders. Proposed activities 
and areas of focus for the Commercial Dialogue are described in the 
Supplementary Information below.

DATES: Please send comments no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Time (EDT) on November 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments to Ludwika Alvarez, East Africa Desk 
Officer, Office of Africa, at [email protected] and Kate 
Innelli, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Market Access 
and Compliance, at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ludwika Alvarez, East Africa Desk 
Officer, Office of Africa, U.S. Department of Commerce, telephone: 202-
482-4228, and email: [email protected] and Kate Innelli, 
Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Market Access and 
Compliance, telephone: 202-482-3290, and email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: International investors have recognized the 
EAC as the fastest growing economic region and the most economically 
attractive regional block in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under the EAC Customs 
Union (launched in 2005), the five member countries of the EAC (Kenya, 
Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi) have established a common 
external tariff; agreed to eliminate customs duties and remove non-
tariff barriers on trade between member countries; made plans to 
harmonize procedures on customs, anti-dumping, and safeguards; and 
agreed to undertake common export promotion programs. The EAC member 
countries are also in the process of establishing a Common Market 
(launched in 2010), which aims to provide for free movement of goods, 
labor, services and capital among the EAC member countries.
    In June 2011, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk presented 
the EAC Secretary General with a proposal to enhance trade and 
investment at the U.S.-Sub-Saharan African Trade and Economic 
Cooperation Forum (AGOA Forum) in Zambia. On June 15, 2012, the Obama 
Administration, the EAC Secretary General, and Ministers of Trade from 
the EAC member countries announced their resolve to pursue a new Trade 
and Investment Partnership between the United States and the EAC, which 
would include exploring: (1) A regional investment treaty, (2) a trade 
facilitation agreement, (3) continued trade capacity building and (4) a 
Commercial Dialogue [http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2012/june/joint-statement-US-East-African-Community-Trade-Investment-Partnership]. This Partnership is part of the White House 
Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa and builds on the existing trade and 
investment relationship, including AGOA and the U.S.-EAC Trade and 
Investment Framework Agreement [http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/africa_strategy_2.pdf].
    The Department of Commerce is leading U.S. efforts to establish a 
Commercial Dialogue with the EAC, which would be the first U.S. 
Commercial Dialogue with Sub-Saharan African partners and the first 
U.S. Commercial Dialogue with a regional customs union.
    The Commercial Dialogue will serve as an inter-governmental 
consultative forum, reflecting private sector priorities and input. The 
Commercial Dialogue will also promote business opportunities in key 
sectors linked to EAC development goals; foster an open and predictable 
business climate by providing a forum for addressing non-tariff trade 
barriers and other constraints to trade; support the EAC's integration 
process by facilitating stronger private sector ties between companies 
in the United States and the EAC and throughout the EAC region; and 
increase private sector input into the U.S.-EAC Trade and Investment 
Partnership. The EAC Secretariat, member countries' Ministries of Trade 
and the Department of Commerce are in the process of formalizing the 
Commercial Dialogue and developing an appropriate structure and agenda 
that would drive its activities.
    Additional information, including a draft concept paper for the 
proposed Commercial Dialogue, can be found at https://www.trade.gov/EastAfricanCommunity (link expires on November 30, 2012).
    The Department of Commerce is considering proposing two principal 
areas of focus for work under the Commercial Dialogue. First, Commerce 
plans to propose the promotion of business opportunities in key growth 
sectors, including the energy, transportation infrastructure, 
information and communication technology, and agribusiness sectors. A 
second proposed area of focus will be efforts to foster an open and 
predictable business climate by addressing: trade facilitation, customs 
and logistics; intellectual property rights; standards; and 
transparency. In developing a focused and strategic agenda for the work 
of the proposed Commercial Dialogue, Commerce is requesting comments on 
the above proposed areas of focus and on the development of an agenda 
for the proposed Commercial Dialogue from U.S. companies, U.S. trade 
associations (including American Chambers of Commerce in East Africa),

[[Page 66583]]

and EAC Diaspora organizations in the United States.
    In submitting comments, please address: Your company's, your member 
companies' or your organization's (hereafter ``You'' or ``Your'') 
experiences and business activities in the above referenced areas of 
focus; Your viewpoint on any other appropriate areas of focus for the 
proposed Commercial Dialogue; Your perspective on priorities and 
challenges You face with respect to doing business in the EAC, 
especially with respect to the above referenced areas of focus; and 
Your proposals for actions or activities that Commerce could undertake 
in working with our EAC partners under the proposed Commercial Dialogue 
to promote business opportunities or to foster an open and predictable 
business climate. Please include with comments the name of your company 
or organization submitting comments, as well as email and telephone 
number for an appropriate contact person with the company or 
organization.
    The Department of Commerce anticipates continuing to need input on 
the agenda and focus of the U.S.-EAC Commercial Dialogue going forward. 
Please feel free to contact the Office of Africa to provide advice and 
input on the U.S.-EAC trade and investment relationship or the U.S.-EAC 
Commercial Dialogue even after the close of the comment period.

    Dated: November 1, 2012.
Michael C. Camu[ntilde]ez,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2012-27088 Filed 11-5-12; 8:45 am]
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