[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60229-60230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23763]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket No. USTR-2014-0019]


2014 Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Kuwait

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for written comments.

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

SUMMARY: In the 2014 Special 301 Report, the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that, in order to monitor 
progress on specific intellectual property rights (IPR) issues, an Out-
of-Cycle Review (OCR) would be conducted for Kuwait. USTR requests 
written comments from the public concerning any act, policy, or 
practice that is relevant to the decision regarding whether Kuwait 
should be identified under Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Trade 
Act) (19 U.S.C. 2242). The 2014 Special 301 Report is available at 
www.ustr.gov.
    Deadlines: The deadline for the public, except foreign governments, 
to submit written comments is Wednesday, October 15, 2014. The deadline 
for foreign governments to submit written comments is Monday, October 
20, 2014.

ADDRESSES: All written comments should be filed electronically via 
www.regulations.gov, Docket Number USTR-2014-0019, and be consistent 
with the requirements set forth below. Please specify ``2014 Special 
301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Kuwait'' in the ``Type Comment'' field.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Wilson, Director for 
Intellectual Property and Innovation, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative, at [email protected]. Please do not file comments 
at this address. Information on the Special 301 Review is available at 
www.ustr.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 60230]]

1. Background

    Section 182 of the Trade Act requires USTR to identify countries 
that deny adequate and effective protection of IPR or deny fair and 
equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual 
property protection. The provisions of Section 182 are commonly 
referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.
    Those countries that have the most onerous or egregious acts, 
policies, or practices and whose acts, policies, or practices have the 
greatest adverse impact (actual or potential) on relevant U.S. products 
are to be identified as Priority Foreign Countries. In addition, USTR 
has created a ``Priority Watch List'' and a ``Watch List'' under 
Special 301 provisions. Placement of a trading partner on the Priority 
Watch List or Watch List indicates that particular problems exist in 
that country with respect to IPR protection, enforcement, or market 
access for persons relying on intellectual property.
    An OCR is a tool that USTR uses to encourage progress on IPR issues 
of concern. It provides an opportunity for heightened engagement with a 
trading partner to address and remedy such issues. Successful 
resolution of specific IPR issues of concern or lack of action on that 
concern can lead to a change in a trading partner's Special 301 status 
outside of the time frame for the annual Special 301 Review.
    In the 2014 Special 301 Report, USTR noted that it would conduct an 
OCR of Kuwait focusing in particular on the Government of Kuwait's 
efforts to address deficiencies in both its copyright legislation and 
its intellectual property enforcement practices. The 2014 Special 301 
Report included specific steps that Kuwait would need to take by the 
conclusion of the OCR to avoid being moved to the Priority Watch List: 
(1) Introduce amendments to the current copyright legislation that meet 
international standards; and (2) resume enforcement against both 
copyright piracy and trademark infringement.

2. Written Comments

a. Requirements for Written Comments

    To facilitate the review, written comments should be as detailed as 
possible and provide all necessary information for identifying and 
assessing the effect of the acts, policies, and practices of Kuwait 
relevant to the issues being reviewed in the OCR. Comments should 
include: Information relating to the status of any amendments that have 
been introduced to the current copyright legislation of Kuwait; the 
substance of the amendments, particularly their consistency with 
international standards; and the change, if any, of the frequency of 
enforcement actions against copyright and trademark infringement. USTR 
requests that interested parties provide specific references to laws, 
regulations, policy statements, executive, presidential or other 
orders, administrative, court or other determinations that should be 
factored in the review.

b. Instructions for Submitting Comments

    Comments must be in English. To ensure the timely receipt and 
consideration of comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to 
submit comments electronically, using the www.regulations.gov Web site. 
To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter Docket Number USTR-
2014-0019 on the home page and click ``Search.'' The site will provide 
a search-results page listing all documents associated with this 
docket. Find the reference to this notice and click on the link 
entitled ``Comment Now!'' For further information on using the 
www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources provided on 
the site by clicking on ``How to use Regulations.gov'' at the bottom of 
the home page under ``Help.''
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments 
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document 
using an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that comments be provided 
in an attached document. If a document is attached, please type ``2014 
Out-of-Cycle Review of Kuwait'' in the ``Type Comment'' field. USTR 
prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) 
format. If the submission is in another file format, please indicate 
the name of the software application in the ``Type Comment'' field. 
File names should reflect 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 comment itself, rather than submitting them as 
separate files.
    A person requesting that information contained in a comment 
submitted by that person be treated as confidential business 
information must certify that such information is business confidential 
and would not customarily be released to the public by the submitter. 
In the document, confidential business information must clearly be 
designated as such; the submission must be marked ``BUSINESS 
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the cover page and each succeeding page, and the 
submission should clearly indicate, via brackets, highlighting, or 
other means, the specific information that is business confidential. 
Additionally, the submitter should type ``Business Confidential 2014 
Out-of-Cycle Review of Kuwait'' in the ``Type Comment'' field. Anyone 
submitting a comment containing business confidential information must 
also submit, as a separate submission, a non-business confidential 
version of the submission, indicating where the business confidential 
information has been redacted. The filenames of both documents should 
reflect their status--``BC'' for the business confidential version and 
``P'' for the public version. The non-business confidential version 
will be placed in the docket at www.regulations.gov and be available 
for public inspection.
    As noted, USTR strongly urges commenters to submit comments through 
www.regulations.gov. Any alternative arrangements must be made in 
advance of transmitting a comment and in advance of the relevant 
deadline by contacting USTR at [email protected].

3. Inspection of Comments

    Comments received will be placed in the docket and open to public 
inspection pursuant to 15 CFR 2006.13, except business confidential 
information exempt from public inspection in accordance with 15 CFR 
2006.15. Comments may be viewed free of charge by visiting 
www.regulations.gov and entering Docket Number USTR-2014-0019 in the 
``Search'' field on the home page.

Susan F. Wilson,
Director for Intellectual Property and Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2014-23763 Filed 10-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P