[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 159 (Thursday, August 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40839-40840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17712]



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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket Number USTR-2018-0031]


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the 
Initiation of Country Practice Review of Turkey

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is 
announcing the initiation of a country practice review of the 
eligibility of Turkey for benefits under the GSP program. This review 
will focus on whether Turkey is meeting the GSP eligibility criterion 
that requires a GSP beneficiary country to assure the United States 
that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its market. 
This notice includes the schedule for submission of public comments and 
a public hearing.

DATES: 
    September 12, 2018 at midnight EDT: Deadline for submission of 
comments, pre-hearing briefs, and requests to appear at the September 
26, 2018 public hearing.
    September 26, 2018: The GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff 
Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing on the GSP country 
practice review of Turkey in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW, 
Washington DC 20508, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
    October 17, 2018 at midnight EDT: Deadline for submission of post-
hearing briefs.

ADDRESSES: USTR strongly prefers electronic submissions made through 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. The 
submission instructions are in section D below. The docket number is 
USTR-2018-0031. For alternatives to on-line submissions, please contact 
Lauren Gamache at 202-395-2974 or [email protected] before transmitting 
a comment and in advance of the relevant deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Lauren Gamache at 202-395-2974 
or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background

    The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of 
designated articles when imported from designated beneficiary 
developing countries. The GSP program is authorized by Title V of the 
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461-2467), and is implemented 
in accordance with Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 1975, as 
modified by subsequent Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations.

B. Initiation of a Country Practice Review of Turkey

    USTR will lead a review of the eligibility of Turkey for benefits 
under the GSP program, and the GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites 
public comments regarding this review. The country practice review of 
Turkey will focus on whether Turkey is meeting the GSP eligibility 
criterion that requires a GSP beneficiary country to assure the United 
States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its 
market (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)(4)). Turkey recently has implemented a wide 
array of trade barriers that create serious negative effects on U.S. 
commerce, including imposing additional duties only on U.S. products, 
and in some instances, imposing additional duties that exceed the rates 
set out by Turkey in its World Trade Organization schedule of 
concessions.

C. Notice of Public Hearing

    The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will hold a hearing on September 
26, 2018, beginning at 10:00 a.m., to receive information regarding the 
country practice review of Turkey. The hearing will be held in Rooms 1 
and 2, 1724 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20508, and will be open to the 
public and to the press. A transcript of the hearing will be available 
on www.regulations.gov within approximately two weeks after the date of 
the hearing. All interested parties wishing to make an oral 
presentation at the hearing must submit, following the Requirements for 
Submissions below, the name, address, telephone number, and email 
address, if available, of the witness(es) representing their 
organization no later than midnight on September 12, 2018.
    Requests to present oral testimony must be accompanied by a written 
brief or summary statement, in English. The GSP Subcommittee of the 
TPSC will limit oral testimony to five-minute presentations that 
summarize or supplement information contained in briefs or statements 
submitted for the record. The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will accept 
post-hearing briefs or statements if they conform to the requirements 
set out below and are submitted in English, no later than midnight on 
October 17, 2018.
    Parties not wishing to appear at the public hearing may submit pre-
hearing and post-hearing briefs or comments by these deadlines. In 
order to be assured of consideration, you must submit all post-hearing 
briefs or statements by the October 17, 2018 deadline via 
www.regulations.gov using docket number USTR-2018-0031.

D. Requirements for Submissions

    Submissions in response to this notice, including requests to 
testify, written comments, and pre-hearing and post-hearing briefs, 
must be submitted by the applicable deadlines set forth in this notice. 
All submissions must be made in English and submitted electronically 
via http://www.regulations.gov, using docket number USTR-2018-0031.
    To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR-2018-0031 on the 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 and click on the link 
entitled ``comment now!''. For further information on using the 
www.regulations.gov website, please consult the resources provided on 
the website by clicking on ``How to Use Regulations.gov'' on the bottom 
of the home page. USTR will not accept hand-delivered submissions.
    The www.regulations.gov website allows users to submit comments by 
filling in a ``type comment'' field or by attaching a document using an 
``upload file'' field. USTR prefers that you submit comments in an 
attached document. At the beginning of the submission, or on the first 
page (if an attachment) please identify the submission as follows: (1) 
``Turkey Country Practice Review''; (2) the subject matter; and (3) 
whether the document is a ``Written Comment,'' ``Notice of Intent to 
Testify,'' ``Pre-hearing brief,'' or a ``Post-hearing brief.'' 
Submissions should not exceed thirty single-spaced, standard letter-
size pages in twelve-point type, including attachments. 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 prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat 
(.pdf). If you use an application other than those two, please indicate 
the name of the application in the ``type comment'' field.
    Filers submitting comments containing no business confidential 
information should name their file using the name of the person or 
entity submitting the comments. For any comments submitted 
electronically containing business confidential

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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 also must submit a public 
version of their comments that we will place in the docket for public 
inspection. 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.
    As noted, USTR strongly urges that you file submissions through 
www.regulations.gov. You must make any alternative arrangements with 
Lauren Gamache at 202-395-2974 or [email protected] before transmitting 
a comment and in advance of the relevant deadline. Documents not 
submitted in accordance with these instructions may not be considered 
in this review.
    USTR will post submissions in the docket for public inspection, 
except business confidential information. You can view submissions on 
the https://www.regulations.gov website by entering docket number USTR-
2018-0031 in the search field on the home page. General information 
concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.

Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System 
of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2018-17712 Filed 8-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F8-P