[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13971-13972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05206]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Docket No. ITA-2022-0001]
RIN 0605-XC047


Request for Comments on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On October 27, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden announced that 
the United States would explore the development of an Indo-Pacific 
Economic Framework to deepen economic relations in the Indo-Pacific 
region and coordinate approaches to addressing global economic 
challenges. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade 
Representative will co-chair the U.S. team leading the negotiations of 
the framework. The United States Trade Representative will lead the 
Framework's pillar on fair and resilient trade, and the Department of 
Commerce will lead the Framework's pillars on: (1) Supply chain 
resilience; (2) infrastructure, clean energy, and decarbonization; and 
(3) tax and anti-corruption. Accordingly, the Department of Commerce is 
seeking public comments on key areas of interest, including: Digital 
and emerging technologies; supply chain resilience; infrastructure, 
decarbonization, and clean energy; and tax and anti-corruption. This 
notice requests comments and information from the public to assist the 
Secretary of

[[Page 13972]]

Commerce in developing the U.S. position in these negotiations. To 
provide comments on the fair and resilient trade pillar on elements 
unrelated to the digital and emerging technologies, please see the 
relevant USTR request for comment.

DATES: Comments and supporting documents must be submitted on or before 
April 11, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Address all written comments in response to this notice to 
``Indo-Pacific Economic Framework'' and file through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. To submit comments via 
https://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number ITA-2022-0001 on the 
home page and click ``search.'' The site will provide a search results 
page listing all documents associated with this docket. Once you find 
this notice, click into it and click on the ``Comment'' icon, complete 
the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. (For further 
information on using https://www.regulations.gov, please consult the 
resources provided on the website by clicking on ``How to Use This 
Site.'')
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by the Department of Commerce. Commenters should 
include which of the nine topics they are addressing or indicate 
``other issues of consideration.'' Commentors that self-identify as a 
small business (generally defined by the U.S. Small Business 
Administration as firms with fewer than 500 employees) or organizations 
representing small business members should indicate this.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct general questions or 
questions concerning written comments to Eric Holloway, Deputy Director 
for the Office of East Asia, Oceania, and APEC, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce at [email protected] or at 202-482-3152.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: On October 27, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden 
announced that the United States would explore the development of an 
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). The United States is seeking to 
include multiple pillars covering key areas of interest within the 
IPEF, including digital and emerging technologies; supply chain 
resilience; infrastructure, clean energy, and decarbonization; and tax 
and anti-corruption. Launching negotiations on these topics under the 
IPEF is an important step towards strengthening U.S. economic 
engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and presents a novel approach to 
promoting durable, broad-based economic growth.
    Requirements for Written Content: The Department of Commerce is 
developing negotiating objectives and positions to shape cooperation 
with potential IPEF partners which could include various types of 
commitments, cooperative actions, and other measures. To that end, via 
this general solicitation, the Department of Commerce invites 
interested parties to comment on issues that the Department of Commerce 
should address in the negotiations, including whether those issues have 
particular relevance for any of the economies in the Indo-Pacific 
region. The Department of Commerce seeks broad input from all 
interested stakeholders--including industry, researchers, academia, 
labor, and civil society. To the extent commenters choose to respond to 
particular matters related to the negotiations, they may comment on any 
of the following:

    1. General negotiating objectives for the IPEF.
    2. Digital and emerging technologies-related issues.
    3. Supply chain resilience-related issues.
    4. Infrastructure-related issues.
    5. Clean energy-related issues.
    6. Decarbonization-related issues.
    7. Tax-related issues.
    8. Anti-corruption-related issues.
    9. Issues of particular relevance to small and medium-sized 
businesses that should be addressed in the negotiations.
    10. Other issues for consideration.

    The Department of Commerce requests that small businesses 
(generally defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration as firms 
with fewer than 500 employees) or organizations representing small 
business members that submit comments to self-identify as such so that 
we may be aware of issues of particular interest to small businesses.
    Request for Written Comments: The https://www.regulations.gov 
website allows users to provide comments by filling in a ``Type 
Comment'' field, or by attaching a document using an ``Upload File'' 
field. Commerce prefers comments be provided in an attached document. 
Commerce prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc files) or Adobe 
Acrobat (.pdf files). If the submission is in an application format 
other than Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat, please indicate the name of 
the application in the ``Type Comment'' field. Please do not attach 
separate cover letters to electronic submissions; rather, include any 
information that might appear in a cover letter within the comments. 
Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any exhibits, 
annexes, or other attachments in the same file, so that the submission 
consists of one file instead of multiple files. Comments (both public 
comments and non-confidential versions of comments containing business 
confidential information) will be placed in the docket and open to 
public inspection. Comments may be viewed on https://www.regulations.gov by entering docket number ITA-2022-0001 in the 
search field on the home page. All filers should name their files using 
the name of the person or entity submitting the comments. Anonymous 
comments also will be accepted. Communications from agencies of the 
United States Government will not be made available for public 
inspection.
    Anyone submitting business confidential information should clearly 
identify the business confidential portion at the time of submission, 
file a statement justifying nondisclosure and referring to the specific 
legal authority claimed, and provide a non-confidential version of the 
submission. The non-confidential version of the submission will be 
placed in the public file on https://www.regulations.gov. For comments 
submitted electronically containing business confidential 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. The non-confidential version must be clearly marked 
``PUBLIC''. The file name of the non-confidential 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 or rebuttal 
comments.

    Dated: March 8, 2022.
Diane Farrell,
Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2022-05206 Filed 3-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P