[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74803-74804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29388]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Comments on Israel's and Turkey's Participation in
the Environmental Goods Agreement Negotiations
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Request for comments.
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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 (WTO) Environmental Goods
Agreement (EGA) with an initial group of 13 trading partners. The
United States Trade Representative has since notified Congress of the
Administration's intent to join a consensus among EGA participants to
invite the Governments of Israel and Turkey to join the EGA
negotiations. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, on behalf of
the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is seeking public comment
regarding U.S. interests and priorities with respect to this initiative
to invite Israel and Turkey to join the EGA negotiations.
DATES: Written comments are due by midnight, January 12, 2015.
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
Coordination Assistant, 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 March 21, 2014, the United States Trade Representative notified
Congress of the Administration's intention to enter into the EGA
negotiations. This notification states that the EGA negotiations ``are
open to all WTO Members that are prepared to eliminate tariffs on a set
of environmental goods, building on the list of 54 goods endorsed by
APEC Leaders as the starting point.'' A copy of the notification is
available at www.ustr.gov/sites/default/files/03212014-Letter-to-Congress.pdf. USTR solicited public comments on this initiative through
a notification published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2014
(Document number: 2014-06831). Comments received through that process
may be reviewed at http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USTR-
2014-0004.
On July 8, 2014, the United States and 13 other WTO members,
accounting for 86 percent of global trade in environmental goods,
launched the EGA negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition to
the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, the European
Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore,
Switzerland and Chinese Taipei are participating in the negotiations.
The EGA aims to eliminate tariffs on a set of environmental
technologies such as wind turbines, water treatment filters, and solar
water heaters. WTO members apply tariffs as high as 35 percent on
environmental goods.
The Governments of Israel and Turkey notified EGA participants of
their interests in joining these negotiations earlier this year.
Following these notifications of interest, EGA participants agreed to
begin any relevant
[[Page 74804]]
domestic procedures so as to allow Israel and Turkey to join the EGA
negotiations. On October 20, 2014, the United States Trade
Representative notified Congress of the Administration's intent to join
a consensus among EGA participants to invite the Government of Israel
to join the EGA negotiations. With respect to the Government of Turkey,
the United States Trade Representative sent a similar notification to
Congress on November 20, 2014.
The Chair of the TPSC invites interested persons to provide written
comments that will assist USTR in assessing Israel's and Turkey's
potential participation in the EGA negotiations. The TPSC Chair invites
comments on all relevant matters, and, in particular, with regard to
those environmental goods of which Israel and Turkey are significant
producers and consumers, as well as current market conditions for
environmental technologies in Israel and Turkey.
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 on the invitation of new members
to these negotiations.
Requirements for Submissions
Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify
(on the first page of the submission) ``Environmental Goods Agreement--
New Participants: Israel and Turkey''. In order to be assured of
consideration, comments should be submitted by 11:59 p.m., January 12,
2015. 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-2014-0024 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. 2014-29388 Filed 12-15-14; 8:45 am]
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