[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21991-21992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08927]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Agreement on Government Procurement: Effective Date of Amendments 
for Japan

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: For the purpose of U.S. Government procurement that is covered 
by Title III of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, the effective date of 
the Protocol Amending the Agreement on Government Procurement, done at 
Geneva on 30 March 2012, World Trade Organization (WTO), with respect 
to Japan is April 16, 2014.

DATES: Effective Date: April 16, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Pietan ((202) 395-9646), 
Director of International Procurement Policy,

[[Page 21992]]

Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 12260 (December 31, 1980) 
implements the 1979 and 1994 Agreement on Government Procurement, 
pursuant to Title III of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 as amended 
(19 U.S.C. 2511-2518). In section 1-201 of Executive Order 12260, the 
President delegated to the United States Trade Representative the 
functions vested in the President by sections 301, 302, 304, 305(c) and 
306 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2511, 2512, 2514, 
2515(c) and 2516).
    The Protocol Amending the Agreement on Government Procurement, done 
at Geneva on 30 March 2012 (``Protocol''), entered into force on April 
6, 2014 for the United States and the following Parties: Canada, 
Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Israel, Liechtenstein, Norway, European 
Union, Iceland, and Singapore. See Federal Register 2014-05719.
    The Protocol provides that following its entry into force, the 
Protocol will enter into force for each additional Party to the 1994 
Agreement 30 days following the date on which the Party deposits its 
instrument of acceptance. On March 17, 2014, Japan deposited its 
instrument of acceptance to the Protocol. Therefore, the Protocol shall 
enter into force on April 16, 2014 for Japan. Therefore, for Japan, 
effective April 16, 2014, all references in Title III of the Trade 
Agreement Act of 1979 and in Executive Order 12260 to the Agreement on 
Government Procurement shall refer to the 1994 Agreement as amended by 
the Protocol.
    With respect to those Parties which have not deposited their 
instruments of acceptance, all references in Title III of the Trade 
Agreement Act of 1979 and in Executive Order 12260 to the Agreement on 
Government Procurement shall continue to refer to the 1994 Agreement 
until 30 days following the deposit by such Party of its instrument of 
acceptance of the Protocol.
    For the full text of the Government Procurement Agreement as 
amended by the Protocol and the new annexes that set out the 
procurement covered by all of the Government Procurement Agreement 
Parties, see GPA-113: http://www.ustr.gov/sites/default/files/GPA%20113%20Decision%20on%20the%20outcomes%20of%20the%20negotiations%20under%20Article%20XXIV%207.pdf.

Michael B.G. Froman,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2014-08927 Filed 4-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P