[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67973-67975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32627]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
United States-European Union Transatlantic Economic Partnership
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: Under the Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP) initiative,
the Governments of the United States and the European Union (EU) have
agreed to explore and identify possible sectors in which the potential
to extend
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the U.S.-EU mutual recognition agreement (MRA) appears feasible and
desirable. The United States is considering proposing to the EU that
initially at least three new sectors be added to the U.S.-EU MRA: road
safety equipment, marine safety equipment and calibration services.
Such a proposal may be made as early as December 15, 1998, in
preparation for the U.S.-EU Summit to be held on December 18, 1998. The
Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) seeks public
comment on the desirability and feasibility of negotiating mutual
recognition agreements in these sectors.
DATES: Any initial comments should be submitted no later than December
15, 1998, in light of the possibility that the issues might arise in
the context of the U.S.-EU Summit meeting on December 18, 1998.
Additional comments should be submitted no later than January 15, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff
Committee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Room 122, 600 17th
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ralph Ives, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and
the Mediterranean, (202) 395-4620; or James Sanford, Director for
European Affairs and Technical Barriers, (202) 395-3320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 18, 1998, President Clinton and his
EU counterparts issued a joint statement announcing the TEP. [Federal
Register notice, June 9, 1998, describes the TEP.] On November 9, 1998,
the United States and the EU reached agreement on a joint ``Action
Plan,'' as called for in the May 18 TEP statement. A copy of the Action
Plan is available on USTR's website (www.ustr.gov) or upon request from
Ms. Gloria Blue.
The U.S.-EU MRA was negotiated over a four year period. The MRA was
signed on May 18, 1998. On October 30, 1998, the United States and the
EU exchanged letters notifying the completion of their respective
internal procedures, thereby allowing the MRA to enter into force on
December 1, 1998.
An MRA generally allows conformity assessment--e.g., testing,
inspecting, certifying--to be performed in the United States to
standards and regulations of the other country, and vice versa, which
reduces cost and saves resources. Under an MRA, the United States will
maintain its current high level of health, safety, and environmental
standards. The existing sectoral annexes of the U.S.-EU MRA cover the
following products and associated conformity assessment procedures: (1)
telecommunications and information technology equipment; (2) network
and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for electrical products; (3)
electrical safety for electrical products; (4) good manufacturing
practices (GMP) for pharmaceutical products; (5) GMP and product
assessment for certain medical devices; (6) and safety of recreational
craft. Each sectoral annex contains specific provisions with respect to
the products and associated conformity assessment procedures covered in
the annex.
An initial tranche of additional sectors to propose to the European
Commission of the EU might include the following:
Marine Safety Equipment
The U.S. Coast Guard of the Department of Transportation
administers conformity assessment requirements for marine safety
equipment used on merchant ships, which includes survival craft and
other lifesaving equipment, as well as fire protection equipment and
systems. The EU has similar conformity assessment requirements. Both
conformity assessment systems are based on the same standards under the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
Road Safety Equipment
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in the Department
of Transportation, administers an acceptance program for equipment
purchased by U.S. authorities with federal or other highway funds. The
road safety equipment sector includes such devices as guardrails,
bridge rails, median barriers, crash cushions, breakaway supports, work
zone devices as well as other devices used on highways to ensure safety
of errant motorists. The FHWA accepts test and evaluation procedures by
which all manufacturers can qualify to sell in the U.S. market. The EU
maintain similar requirements under its Construction Products
Directive. Both systems involve third-party tests and acceptance
(certifications).
Calibration Services
As the national metrological authority for the United States, the
National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) generates
measurement criteria used by U.S. regulatory agencies and the
marketplace for such products as avionics and other electronic
equipment. A mutual recognition agreement would recognize the
equivalence of NIST's generated measures with those developed by EU
national laboratories.
Public Comments
All written comments should be addressed to: Gloria Blue, Executive
Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United States
Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW, Room 122, Washington, DC
20508.
The Chairman of the TPSC invites written comments from interested
persons on the feasibility and desirability of negotiating MRAs in each
of the sectors identified above. Comments are invited in particular on:
(a) the benefits for pursuing an MRA in each of the sectors; and (b)
any specific concerns regarding an MRA in any of the sectors,
particularly any concerns regarding public safety considerations.
All submissions must be in English and should conform to the
information requirements of 15 CFR Part 2003. Interested persons should
submit initial written comments, particularly any objections to a
proposed sector, in five (5) typed copies, as soon as possible, and by
no later than December 15, 1998. All additional comments should be
submitted by no later than January 15, 1999. Comments should state
clearly the position taken and should describe the specific information
(including data, if possible) supporting that position.
If the submission contains business confidential information, 5
copies of a confidential version must also be submitted. A
justification as to why the information contained in the submission
should be treated confidentially must be included in the submission. In
addition, any submissions containing business confidential information
must be clearly marked ``Confidential'' at the top and bottom of the
cover page (or letter) and of each succeeding page of the submission.
The version that does not contain confidential information should also
be clearly marked, at the top and bottom of each page, ``public
version'' or ``non-confidential.''
Written comments submitted in connection with this request, except
for information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15
CFR 2003.6, will be available for public inspection at the USTR Reading
Room, Room 101, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600
Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, DC. An appointment to review the
file may be made by calling Brenda Webb at (202) 395-6186. The reading
room is open to the public by appointment only from
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9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 98-32627 Filed 12-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M
