[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17637-17638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06831]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Comments on an Environmental Goods Agreement
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Request for comments and notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: On March 21, 2014, the United States Trade Representative
notified Congress of the Administration's intention to enter into
negotiations for a World Trade Organization Environmental Goods
Agreement. A copy of the notification is available at www.ustr.gov/sites/default/files/03212014-Letter-to-Congress.pdf. The Office of the
U.S. Trade Representative, on behalf of the Trade Policy Staff
Committee (TPSC), is seeking public comments regarding U.S. interests
and priorities with respect to this initiative. Comments may be
provided in writing and orally at a public hearing.
DATES: Written comments are due by midnight, May 5, 2014. Persons
wishing to testify orally at the hearing must provide written
notification of their intention, as well as a summary of their
testimony, by midnight, May 5, 2014. The hearing will be held in
Washington, DC, on June 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments from the public should be submitted electronically
at www.regulations.gov. If you are unable to provide submissions at
www.regulations.gov, please contact Yvonne Jamison, Trade Policy Staff
Committee (TPSC), at (202) 395-3475, to arrange for an alternative
method of transmission.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning
written comments, please contact Yvonne Jamison, Trade Policy
Coordination Assistant, at the above number. All other questions
regarding this notice should be directed to Bill McElnea, Director for
Environment and Natural Resources, at (202) 395-7320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 24, a group of 14 WTO Members (Australia, Canada, China,
Costa Rica, the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand,
Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, and the United States)
accounting for 86 percent of global trade in environmental goods
announced in a joint statement their interest in negotiating an
agreement to eliminate tariffs on environmental goods that are needed
to protect the environment and address climate change. Examples of such
environmental goods include solar panels, wind turbines, and catalytic
converters, among others. The joint statement is available at: http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2014/January/USTR-Froman-remarks-on-new-talks-towards-increased-trade-environmental-goods.
The negotiations for an environmental goods agreement (EGA) will be
open to all WTO Members that are prepared to eliminate tariffs on a set
of environmental goods, building on the list of 54 environmental goods
endorsed by APEC Leaders in 2012. The list of 54 environmental goods
endorsed by Asia-Pacific Leaders is available at http://www.apec.org/Meeting-Papers/Leaders-Declarations/2012/2012_aelm/2012_aelm_annexC.aspx. Some WTO Members charge tariffs as high as 35 percent on
some of these products. This list of products is the starting point for
establishing the scope of the proposed agreement and we seek comments
on additional products that could be included in the negotiations.
USTR is observing the relevant procedures of the Bipartisan Trade
Promotion Authority Act of 2002 (19 U.S.C. 3804) with respect to
notifying and consulting with Congress regarding such negotiations. The
TPSC intends to hold a public hearing on specific issues pertaining to
negotiations on an agreement to eliminate tariffs on environmental
goods on June 5, 2014.
Comments From the Public and Hearing
The Chair of the TPSC invites interested persons to provide written
comments and/or oral testimony at a public hearing that will assist
USTR in assessing the proposed agreement. The TPSC Chair invites
comments on all relevant matters, and, in particular, on the following:
(1) Products that the United States should seek to include under the
EGA, including a detailed description of the specific product, and as
appropriate, the 6-digit (or 8-digit or 10-digit, where applicable)
Harmonized System tariff classification number; (2) environmental uses
and benefits of the products being proposed for inclusion; (3) U.S.
trading partners that are significant producers or consumers of
environmental goods; and (4) how best to ensure that such an agreement
remains relevant into the future.
A hearing will be held on June 5, 2014, in Rooms 1 and 2, at 1724 F
Street NW., Washington, DC. Persons wishing to testify at the hearing
must provide written notification of their intention by May 5, 2014.
The notification should include: (1) The name, address, and
[[Page 17638]]
telephone number of the person presenting the testimony; and (2) a
short (one or two paragraph) summary of the presentation, including the
subject matter and, as applicable, subjects to be discussed. A copy of
the testimony must accompany the notification. Remarks at the hearing
should be limited to no more than five minutes to allow for possible
questions from the TPSC. Persons with mobility impairments who will
need special assistance in gaining access to the hearing should contact
Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475.
Requirements for Submissions
Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify
(on the first page of the submission) ``Environmental Goods
Agreement''. In order to be assured of consideration, comments should
be submitted by 11:59 p.m., May 5, 2014. In order to ensure the timely
receipt and consideration of comments, USTR strongly encourages
commenters to make on-line submissions using the www.regulations.gov
Web site. To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket
number USTR-2014-0004 on the home page and click ``search.'' The site
will provide a search-results page listing all documents associated
with this docket. Find a reference to this notice and click on the link
entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For further information on using the
www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources provided on
the Web site by clicking on ``How to Use This Site'' on the left side
of the home page).
The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document
using an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that comments be provided
in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to
type ``See attached'' in the ``Type Comment'' field. USTR prefers
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the
submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate
the name of the application in the ``Type Comment'' field. For any
comments submitted electronically containing business confidential
information, the file name of the business confidential version should
begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing business
confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions
containing business confidential information must also submit a public
version of their comments. The file name of the public version should
begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed
by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments or reply
comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business
confidential information should name their file using the name of the
person or entity submitting the comments. Please do not attach separate
cover letters to electronic submissions; rather, include any
information that might appear in a cover letter in the comments
themselves. Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any
exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in the same file as the
submission itself, not as separate files.
As noted, USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through
www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements
must be made with Ms. Jamison in advance of transmitting a comment. Ms.
Jamison should be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General information
concerning USTR is available at www.ustr.gov. Comments will be placed
in the docket and open to public inspection, except business
confidential information. Comments may be viewed on the
www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant docket number in
the search field on the home page.
Douglas Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2014-06831 Filed 3-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P