94-4614. Report on Environmental Issues in the Uruguay Round Agreements

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4614]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 1, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
 

Report on Environmental Issues in the Uruguay Round Agreements

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for public comments regarding environmental 
issues in the Uruguay Round Agreements.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Trade Representative intends to prepare a report on 
environmental issues related to the Uruguay Round Agreements. To assist 
in the preparation of this report, the U.S. Trade Representative 
invites public comments on environmental issues related to the Uruguay 
Round agreements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Laura 
Kneale Anderson, Director for Trade and the Environment, Office of 
Environmental and Natural Resources, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative, 600 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20506; 
telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    On December 15, 1993, in accordance with section 1103(a)(1) of the 
Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the Act), President 
Clinton notified the Senate and the House of Representatives of his 
intent to enter into trade agreements resulting from the Uruguay Round 
of multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General 
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
    In section 1101 of the Act the Congress set as the first overall 
U.S. negotiating objective for the Uruguay Round more open, equitable 
and reciprocal market access. In accordance with this objective, the 
Uruguay Round results will provide an unprecedented level of new market 
access opportunities for exports of U.S. goods and services. Moreover, 
in fulfillment of the second overall U.S. negotiating objective, the 
reduction or elimination of barriers and other trade-distorting 
policies and practices, the Uruguay Round package includes a number of 
agreements to reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. In 
addition, the Uruguay Round agreements include a number of provisions 
of environmental interest.
    In accordance with the procedures in the Act, the United States 
will not enter the Uruguay Round agreements until April 15, 1994. After 
the agreements have been signed, they will be submitted for 
Congressional approval, together with proposed implementing legislation 
and a statement of administrative action necessary or appropriate to 
implement the agreements in the United States. The agreements will not 
take effect with respect to the United States, and will have no 
domestic legal force, until the Congress has enacted implementing 
legislation.

2. Scope of Report

    Because of the high priority the Administration places on 
protecting the environment, and on its desire to inform the public 
fully on the issues, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) plans to 
produce a report on the likely significance of the Uruguay Round 
agreements for environmental and conservation issues.
    The USTR will submit its report on environmental issues in the 
Uruguay Round agreements to the Congress in conjunction with the 
implementing legislation described above. USTR proposes to include the 
following areas in the report:
    (a) Overview of the Uruguay Round agreements;
    (b) Trade and environment issues under the current GATT and its 
associated agreements, as well as background on provisions of 
environmental interest in the Uruguay Round;
    (c) Provisions of the Uruguay Round agreements of environmental 
interest;
    (d) Other possible environmental effects of the Uruguay Round 
agreements, including effects on specific sectors (such as agriculture, 
environmental technology and services, transportation, energy, non-
renewable resources, wildlife and fisheries, and forest resources); and
    (e) U.S. plans for further work on trade and the environment.

3. Public Comments

    1. Comments are invited on the possible environmental effects of 
the Uruguay Round agreements. Any comments must be submitted, in twenty 
typed copies, no later than noon, March 31, 1994, to Carolyn Frank, 
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the U.S. 
Trade Representative, room 414, 600 Seventeenth Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20506. Comments should state clearly the position taken 
and should describe with particularity the evidence supporting that 
position. Any business confidential material must be clearly marked as 
such on the cover page (or letter) and succeeding pages. Such 
submissions must be accompanied by a nonconfidential summary thereof.
    Nonconfidential submissions will be available for public inspection 
at the USTR Reading Room, Room 101, Office of the U.S. Trade 
Representative, 600 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC. An 
appointment to review the file may be made by calling Brenda Webb at 
[phone]. The Reading Room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 
12 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. 94-4614 Filed 2-28-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M