[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9050-9051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4643]
[[Page 9049]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part VI
Department of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
International Trade Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
Certain Steel Products From the Russian Federation of the United
States, Public Hearing on Establishment of Import Restrictions; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 23, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 9050]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Public Hearing on Establishment of Import Restrictions on Certain
Steel Products From the Russian Federation to the United States
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 125(f) of the Trade Act of 1974, the
Department of Commerce has scheduled a public hearing on the potential
establishment of import restrictions on certain steel products from the
Russian Federation to the United States.
DATES: The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning
the public hearing and/or public comments, contact Lesley Stagliano at
(202) 482-0190 or Lyn Baranowski at (202) 482-3208. All other questions
should be directed to Edward Yang at (202) 482-0406.
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 23, 1999.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 1, 1990, pursuant to Title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974 (the Trade Act), the Governments of the United States
of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics entered into the
Agreement on Trade Relations Between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. On June 17, 1992, this
agreement became effective between the United States and the Russian
Federation (the 1992 Agreement). Article XI of the 1992 Agreement
provides that the Parties will consult with a view toward finding means
of remedying or preventing actual or threatened market disruption, and
it authorizes the Parties to take action, including the imposition of
import restrictions, to achieve this goal.
In February 1999, the United States Department of Commerce and the
Ministry of Trade of the Russian Federation entered into negotiations
and consultations pursuant to Article XI of the Agreement on Trade
Between the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The
Parties mutually agree that the conditions of Article XI have been met
with respect to U.S. imports of certain steel products from Russia.
Pursuant to Article XI, the United States proposes to establish
import restrictions on Russian exports to the United States of the
following 16 steel products:
1. Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Quality Products
2. Semifinished Steel Products
3. Galvanized Sheet Products
4. Other Metallic Coated Flat Rolled Products
5. Certain Tin Mill Products
6. Electrical Sheet Products
7. Heavy Structural Shapes
8. Rails
9. Hot-Rolled Bars
10. Cold Finished Bars
11. Pipe and Tube Products
12. Wire Rod Products
13. Tool Steel
14. Drawn Wire Products
15. Hot-Rolled Stainless and Alloy Sheet, Strip, and Plate
16. Pig Iron
Each category of steel would have a separate export limit. In
addition to the issuance of export licenses by the Ministry of Trade of
the Russian Federation, and consistent with the requests of the Russian
officials, the United States would establish a border enforcement
mechanism to ensure compliance with the export limits. The border
mechanism will be in the form of denial of entry for any shipment of
steel, covered by the categories listed above, which exceeds the limits
or lacks the required documents.
Section 125(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(c)) provides that
whenever the United States, acting in pursuance of any of its rights or
obligations under any trade agreement entered into pursuant to the
Trade Act, modifies any obligation with respect to the trade of any
foreign country or instrumentality, the President is authorized to
proclaim increased duties or other import restrictions, to the extent,
at such times, and for such periods as he deems necessary or
appropriate, in order to exercise the rights or fulfill the obligations
of the United States.
Section 125(f) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(f)) requires the
President to provide the opportunity for interested parties to present
views at a public hearing prior to taking action pursuant to section
125(b), (c), or (d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(b), (c), or (d)).
Such an opportunity is being provided by the holding of such a hearing
on Tuesday, March 2, 1999, at the United States Department of Commerce.
In addition, the Department will separately publish in the Federal
Register the proposed agreement establishing import restrictions on
Russian exports to the United States. For convenience, the Department
will also post this agreement on its Import Administration website
(http://www.ita.doc.gov/import__admin/records).
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: Pursuant to section 125(f) of the Trade Act
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2135(f)), the International Trade Administration of
the Department of Commerce, has scheduled a public hearing beginning at
1:30 p.m., on March 2, 1999, at Room 4830 of the Herbert C. Hoover
Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW,
Washington, DC.
REQUESTS TO PRESENT ORAL TESTIMONY: Parties wishing to testify orally
at the hearing must provide written notification of their intention not
later than 5:00 p.m., February 26, 1999 to Robert S. LaRussa, Assistant
Secretary for Import Administration: In re Public Hearing on
Establishment of Import Restrictions on Certain Steel Products From the
Russian Federation to the United States, Room 1870, Herbert C. Hoover
Building, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW,
Washington, DC. The notification should include (1) the name of the
person presenting the testimony, their address and telephone number;
(2) the organization or company they are representing, if appropriate;
(3) a list of issues to be addressed; and (4), if applicable, any
request for an extension of the time limitation on the oral
presentation. This notification may be submitted via facsimile to Vicki
Sullivan at (202) 273-0957. Those parties presenting oral testimony
must also submit a written brief, in 20 copies, not later than 10:00
a.m., March 2, 1999, to the above-mentioned address. Hearing
presentations should be limited to no more than five minutes to allow
for possible questions from the Chairman and the panel. Additional time
for oral presentations may be granted as time and the number of
participants permit. Any business proprietary material must be clearly
marked as such on the cover page (or letter) and succeeding pages. Such
submissions must be accompanied by a public summary thereof.
WRITTEN BRIEFS: Those persons not wishing to participate in the hearing
may submit written comments, in 20 typed copies, not later than 10:00
a.m., March 2, 1999, to Robert S. LaRussa, Assistant Secretary for
Import Administration: In re Public Hearing on Establishment of Import
Restrictions on Certain Steel Products From the Russian Federation to
the United States, Room 1870, Herbert C. Hoover Building, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC.
Comments should state clearly the position taken and describe with
particularity the evidence supporting
[[Page 9051]]
that position. Any business proprietary material must be clearly marked
as such on the cover page (or letter) and succeeding pages. Such
submissions must be accompanied by a public summary thereof. Public
submissions will be available for public inspection at the Import
Administration Central Records Unit. An appointment to review the file
may be made by contacting Joni Myers at (202) 482-0865.
Dated: February 22, 1999.
Richard W. Moreland,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-4643 Filed 2-22-99; 10:13 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P