[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 214 (Monday, November 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56088-56089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27435]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Generalized System of Preferences; Pakistan; Internationally
Recognized Worker Rights
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice and opportunity for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Administration has decided to suspend some of Pakistan's
GSP benefits because of insufficient progress on internationally
recognized worker rights. This notice invites public comments on
whether the Administration should suspend GSP benefits for sporting
goods, surgical instruments and/or certain hand-knotted and woven
carpets.
DATES: Comments are due Wednesday, December 6, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, N.W., Room 518,
Washington, D.C. 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. The GSP Program
The GSP program grants duty-free treatment to designated eligible
articles that are imported from designated beneficiary developing
countries. The program is authorized by Title V of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended (``Trade Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.). The GSP
program expired on July 31, 1995. A bill to renew the program is
pending in Congress. This notice solicits public comments, but the
Administration cannot take any action unless and until the GSP program
is reauthorized.
To qualify for GSP privileges, each beneficiary country must comply
with a number of eligibility requirements. One such requirement is that
the beneficiary country must be ``taking steps'' (i.e., making
progress) to provide ``internationally recognized worker rights'' (19
U.S.C. 2462(b)(7) and (c)(7)).
The GSP statute defines ``internationally recognized worker
rights'' as: (1) The right of association; (2) the right to organize
and bargain collectively; (3) a prohibition against any form of forced
or compulsory labor; (4) a minimum age for the employment of children;
and (5) acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages,
hours of work and occupational safety and health (19 U.S.C.
2462(a)(4)).
Each year, the Administration conducts a public review process in
which a beneficiary's compliance with the eligibility requirements can
be reviewed.
II. Worker Rights in Pakistan
In June 1993, the Administration received three petitions that
requested a review of labor law and practice in Pakistan under the
auspices of the GSP program. In October 1993, the Administration
announced that the petitions were being accepted for review (see USTR
Press Release 93-63). Since that time, the United States Government and
the Government of Pakistan have been working cooperatively to seek
improved labor law and practice in Pakistan. The principal issues have
concerned the exemption of the Karachi export processing zone from the
labor law of Pakistan, the application of the Essential Services Act
and child and bonded labor.
In July 1994, the Administration acknowledged the commitment of the
Government of Pakistan, and the review was continued (see USTR Press
Release 94-39 and Pakistan Worker Rights Review Summary (July 1994),
available from USTR). Since that time, consultations have continued and
the Government of Pakistan has considered a number of actions to bring
its labor rights regime into closer compliance with international labor
norms.
In July 1995, the Administration announced that the review would be
continued until October to give the Government of Pakistan time to
fulfill our expectations and understanding that they would take actions
that would improve labor law and practice in Pakistan (see USTR Press
Release 95-54).
Notwithstanding our constructive dialogue with the Government of
Pakistan and their evident commitment to improve labor law and practice
in Pakistan, the Administration has now decided to suspend some of
Pakistan's GSP benefits because of insufficient progress on
internationally recognized worker rights. Specifically, the
Administration is considering whether to suspend GSP benefits for
sporting goods, surgical instruments and/or certain hand-knotted and
woven carpets, sectors in which child labor is reportedly used.
III. Public Comments
This notice solicits public comments on which benefits should be
suspended because Pakistan has made insufficient progress on improving
labor law and practice. All written comments should be addressed to:
GSP Subcommittee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th
Street, N.W., Room 518, Washington, D.C. 20508. All
[[Page 56089]]
submissions must be in English and should conform to the information
requirements of 15 CFR 2007. Each submission should indicate the
relevant subheading of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States, if any. A party must provide fourteen copies of its statement
which must be received by the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee no later
than 5 p.m., Wednesday, December 6, 1995. Comments received after the
deadline will not be accepted.
If the comments contain business confidential information, fourteen
copies of a non-confidential version must also be submitted. A
justification as to why the information contained in the submission
should be treated confidentially must be included in the submission. In
addition, the submissions containing confidential information should be
clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and bottom of each page of
the submission. The version that does not contain confidential
information should also be clearly marked, at the top and bottom of
each page, ``public version'' or ``non-confidential''.
Written comments submitted in connection with these decisions,
except for information granted ``business confidential'' status
pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.7, will be available for public inspection
shortly after the filing deadline by appointment only with the staff of
the USTR Public Reading Room. Other requests and questions should be
directed to the GSP Information Center at USTR by calling (202) 395-
6971.
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-27435 Filed 11-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M