[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 246 (Thursday, December 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72136-72138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32220]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); Notice Regarding the
1999 Product Review
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the petitions that were accepted for the
1999 GSP Annual Review for modifications of GSP product eligibility;
lists the schedule for the public hearing on these petitions, for
requesting participation in the hearing, and for submitting pre-hearing
and post-hearing briefs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington,
DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GSP program grants duty-free treatment
to designated eligible articles that are imported from designated
beneficiary developing countries. The GSP program is authorized by
Title V the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act'') (19 U.S.C.
2461 et seq.), and administered in accordance with GSP regulations (15
CFR Part 2007) which provide for a GSP annual review.
In a notice dated April 23, 1999, USTR initiated the 1999 GSP
Annual Review and announced a deadline of June 16, 1999 for the filing
of petitions (63 FR 18963). The product petitions that we received
requested changes in the eligibility of products by adding or removing
products, or the waiver of ``competitive need limitations'' (CNLs) for
eligible articles. Authorization for granting CNL waivers is set forth
in section 503(d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2464(d)).
The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC has reviewed the 28 product
petitions that were received and has decided that 9 of these petitions
involving 7 products should be accepted for consideration in the 1999
GSP Annual Review. The annex to this notice sets forth the case number,
product identification, the change requested and the petitioner for
each product included in the 1999 GSP Annual Review.
Opportunities for Public Comment and Inspection of Comments
The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of, or
in opposition to, any petition which is the subject of this notice.
Submissions should comply with 15 CFR Part 2007, including sections
2007.0, and 2007.1. All submissions should identify the subject
article(s) in terms of the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (``HTS'') nomenclature.
Comments should be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in English,
to the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff
Committee, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, DC 20508.
Information submitted will be subject to public inspection by
appointment with the staff of the USTR public reading room, except for
information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 CFR
2003.6 and other qualifying information submitted in confidence
pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.7. If the document contains confidential
information, an original and fourteen (14) copies of a nonconfidential
version of the submission along with an original and fourteen (14)
copies of the confidential version must be submitted. In addition, any
document containing confidential information should be clearly marked
``confidential'' at the top and bottom of each page of the document.
The version that does not contain confidential information (the public
version) should also be clearly marked at the top and bottom of every
page (either ``public version'' or ``nonconfidential''). Comments
should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on January 14, 2000.
Notice of Public Hearings
Hearings will be held on February 1, 2000 beginning at 10 a.m. at
the Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street,
NW, Washington, DC 20508. The hearings will be open to the public and a
transcript of the hearings will be made available for public inspection
or can be purchased from the reporting company. No electronic media
coverage will be allowed.
All interested parties wishing to present oral testimony at the
hearings must submit the name, address, and telephone number of the
witnesses representing their organization to the Chairman of the GSP
Subcommittee. Such requests to present oral testimony at the public
hearings should be accompanied by fourteen (14) copies, in English, of
a written brief or statement, and should be received by 5 p.m. on
January 14, 2000. Oral testimony before the GSP Subcommittee will be
limited to five minute presentations that summarize or supplement
information contained in the briefs or statements submitted for the
record. Post-hearing and rebuttal briefs or statements should conform
to the regulations cited above and be submitted in fourteen (14)
copies, in English, no later than 5 p.m. February 24, 2000. Interested
persons not wishing to appear at the public hearings may also submit
pre-hearing written briefs or statements by 5 p.m. on January 14, 2000,
and post-hearing and rebuttal written briefs or statements by February
24, 2000. Comments by interested persons on the USITC Report prepared
as part of the product review should be submitted in fourteen (14)
copies, in English, by 5 p.m. April 14, 2000.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
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[FR Doc. 99-32220 Filed 12-22-99; 8:45 am]
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