96-531. Identification of Priority Foreign Countries: Request for Public Comment

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1413-1414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-531]



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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Identification of Priority Foreign Countries: Request for Public 
Comment

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Request for written submissions from the public concerning 
acts, policies, and practices to be considered with respect to 
identification of countries under section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, 
as amended (Trade Act).

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SUMMARY: Section 182 of the Trade Act requires the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) to identify countries that deny adequate and 
effective protection of intellectual property rights or deny fair and 
equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual 
property protection. 19 U.S.C. 2242. In addition, the USTR is required 
to determine which of the countries identified should be designated as 
priority foreign countries. Priority foreign countries typically are 
subject to a ``special'' 301 

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investigation of the acts, policies or practices which led to their 
designation.
    USTR requests written submissions from the public concerning 
foreign countries' acts, policies, and practices that are relevant to 
the decision whether particular trading partners should be identified 
under section 182 of the Trade Act.

DATES: Submissions must be received on or before 12:00 noon on Tuesday, 
February 20, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Papovich, Deputy Assistant USTR 
for Intellectual property [phone]; JoEllen Urban, Director for 
Intellectual Property [phone]; or Thomas Robertson, Assistant 
General Counsel [phone], Office of the United States Trade 
Representative.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 182 of the Trade Act of 
1974, as amended by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, 
the USTR must identify those countries that deny adequate and effective 
protection for intellectual property rights or deny fair and equitable 
market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property 
protection. 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.

    USTR may not identify a country as a priority foreign country if it 
is entering into good faith negotiations, or making significant 
progress in bilateral or multilateral negotiations, to provide adequate 
and effective protection of intellectual property rights.
    USTR must decide whether to identify countries as priority foreign 
countries each year and issue a decision within 30 days after 
publication of the National Trade Estimate (NTE) report, i.e., no later 
than April 30, 1996. Priority foreign countries typically are subject 
to a ``special'' 301 investigation of the acts, policies or practices 
which led to their designation.

Requirements for Submissions

    Submissions should include a description of the problems 
experienced and the effect of the acts, policies, and practices on U.S. 
industry. Submissions should be as detailed as possible and should 
provide all necessary information for assessing the effect of the acts, 
policies and practices. Any submissions that include quantitative loss 
claims should be accompanied by the methodology used in calculating 
such estimated losses. Comments must be filed in accordance with the 
requirements set forth in 15 CFR Sec. 2006.8(b) (55 FR 20593) and must 
be sent to Sybia Harrison, Special Assistant to the Section 301 
Committee, Room 223, 600 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20506, no 
later than 12 noon on Tuesday, February 20, 1996. Because submissions 
will be placed in a file open to public inspection at USTR, business-
confidential information should be submitted.

Public Inspection of Submissions

    Within one business day of receipt, submissions will be placed in a 
public file, open for inspection at the USTR Reading Room, in Room 101, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC. An appointment to review the file may be made by 
calling Brenda Webb, [phone]. The USTR Reading Room is open to 
the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday.
Donald Abelson,
Assistant USTR for Services, Investment and Intellectual Property.
[FR Doc. 96-531 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M