[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4332-4333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01373]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Comments on Iceland'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 Government of Iceland 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
Iceland to join the EGA negotiations.
DATES: Written comments are due by midnight, March 6, 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, Israel, 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 Government of Iceland notified EGA participants of their
interest in joining these negotiations on November 12, 2014. Following
this notification of interest, EGA participants agreed to begin any
relevant domestic procedures so as to allow Iceland to join the EGA
negotiations. On December 12, 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 Iceland
to join the EGA negotiations.
The Chair of the TPSC invites interested persons to provide written
comments that will assist USTR in assessing Iceland'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 Iceland is a significant producer and
consumer, as well as current market conditions for environmental
technologies in Iceland.
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 Participant: Iceland''. In order to be assured of consideration,
comments should be submitted by 11:59 p.m., March 6, 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-2015-0002 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
[[Page 4333]]
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. 2015-01373 Filed 1-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F5-P