[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59224-59225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28647]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket No. WTO/DS-178]
WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding United States--
Safeguard Measure on Imports of Lamb Meat From Australia
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative
(``USTR'') is providing notice of Australia's request for the
establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the Marrakesh
Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO'').
Australia challenges the United States' action in imposing temporary
quantitative limitations on imports of lamb meat in an effort to
prevent serious injury to the domestic industry and to facilitate its
adjustment to import competition. In this dispute Australia alleges
that the United States' safeguard measure is inconsistent with certain
obligations under the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, and the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (``GATT 1994''). USTR invites
written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this
dispute.
DATES: Although USTR will accept any comments received during the
course of the dispute settlement proceedings, comments should be
submitted by January 10, 1999, to be assured of timely consideration by
USTR in preparing its first written submission to the panel.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to Sandy McKinzy, Litigation
Assistant, Office of Monitoring and Enforcement, Room 122, Attn: Lamb
Meat, Office of the United States Trade
[[Page 59225]]
Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marjorie Florestal, Assistant General
Counsel at (202) 395-3581 or Teresa Howes, Director for Asian
Agricultural Affairs at (202) 395-9559.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 127(b) of the Uruguay
Round Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)), USTR is providing
notice that on October 14, 1999, Australia submitted a request for the
establishment of a WTO dispute settlement panel to examine the U.S.
safeguard measure on imports of lamb meat. The WTO Dispute Settlement
Body (``DSB'') is expected to establish a panel for this purpose in
November, 1999.
Major Issues Raised and Legal Basis of the Complaint
Australia challenges the safeguard measure on imports of lamb meat
established in Proclamation 7208 of July 7, 1999 (64 FR 37387) (July 9,
1999), and described in the President's Memorandum of July 7, 1999,
entitled ``Action Under Section 203 of the Trade Act of 1974 Concerning
Lamb Meat'' (64 FR 37393) (July 12, 1999). In its request for a panel
to examine the measure, Australia alleges that the U.S. safeguard
action on lamb meat is inconsistent with Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11,
and 12 of the Agreement on Safeguards, and Articles I, II, and XIX of
the GATT 1994.
At Australia's request, on August 26, 1999, the United States and
Australia participated in dispute settlement consultations held in
Geneva; these consultations did not lead to a satisfactory resolution
of the matter.
Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning the issues raised in this dispute. Comments must be in
English and provided in fifteen copies to Sandy McKinzy at the address
provided above. 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 submitting
person. Confidential business information must be clearly marked
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' in a contrasting color ink at the top of each
page of each copy.
Information or advice contained in a comment submitted, other than
business confidential information, may be determined by USTR to be
confidential in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of the Trade Act of
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155(g)(2)). If the submitting person believes that
information or advice may qualify as such, the submitting person--
(1) Must so designate the information or advice;
(2) Must clearly mark the material as ``SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE''
in a contrasting color ink at the top of each page of each copy; and
(3) Is encouraged to provide a non-confidential summary of the
information or advice.
Pursuant to section 127(e) of the URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR
will maintain a file on this dispute settlement proceeding, accessible
to the public, in the USTR Reading Room: Room 101, Office of the United
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20508.
The public file will include a listing of any comments received by USTR
from the public with respect to the proceeding; the U.S. submissions to
the panel in the proceeding, the submissions, or non-confidential
summaries of submissions, to the panel received from other parties in
the dispute, as well as the report of the dispute settlement panel,
and, if applicable, the report of the Appellate Body. An appointment to
review the public file (Docket WTO/DS-178, ``Lamb Meat--Australia'')
may be made by calling Brenda Webb, (202) 395-6186. The USTR Reading
Room is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday.
A. Jane Bradley,
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Monitoring and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 99-28647 Filed 11-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P