[Federal Register: December 28, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 248)]
[Notices]
[Page 77778-77779]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28de04-147]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. TA-2104-18]
U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide
and Selected Sectoral Effects
AGENCY: International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigation.
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SUMMARY: Following receipt on November 17, 2004, of a request from the
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted
investigation No. TA-2104-18, U.S.-Central America Free Trade
Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected Sectoral Effects, under
section 2104(f) of the Trade Act of 2002 (19 U.S.C. 3804(f)).
Background
As requested by the USTR, the Commission will prepare a report as
specified in section 2104(f)(2)-(3) of the Trade Act of 2002 (the Trade
Act) assessing the likely impact of the U.S. free trade agreement (FTA)
with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
(Central America) on the United States economy as a whole and on
specific industry sectors and the interests of U.S. consumers.
Section 2104(f)(2) requires that the Commission submit its report
to the President and the Congress not later than 90 days after the
President enters into the agreement, which he can do 90 days after he
notifies the Congress of his intent to do so. The President notified
Congress of his intent to enter into an FTA with Central America on
February 20, 2004. At that time, the President also stated that
negotiations were under way to integrate the Dominican Republic into
the FTA with Central America. That FTA was signed on August 5, 2004,
and the Commission provided its report (U.S.-Central America-Dominican
Republic Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected
Sectoral Effects, Inv. No. TA-2104-13, publication 3717) on August 27,
2004. A public hearing for that investigation was held on April 27,
2004.
In his letter the USTR stated that the Dominican Republic
subsequently (on October 1, 2004) enacted a tax on beverages sweetened
with high fructose corn syrup that the United States regards as
incompatible with the Dominican Republic's obligations under the signed
FTA. He said that as a result of that action he informed Congress on
October 1, 2004, that he would not recommend including the Dominican
Republic in the legislation to implement the FTA signed on August 5,
2004 if the Dominican tax remained in place, and that the
Administration would take steps to move forward with an FTA with the
Central American countries. He said that the FTA with the Central
American countries ``otherwise is the same as the one that the
Commission has already assessed'' that included the Dominican Republic.
In his letter requesting a new Commission report, the USTR asked the
Commission to supplement its August 27 report by assessing the likely
impact of a free trade agreement with Central America on the United
States economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors and the
interests of U.S. consumers.
As specified in section 2104(f)(2)-(3) of the Trade Act, the
Commission's report will assess the likely impact of the FTA on the
United States economy as a whole and on specific industry sectors,
including the impact the agreement will have on the gross domestic
product, exports and imports, aggregate employment and employment
opportunities, the production, employment, and competitive position of
industries likely to be significantly affected by the FTA, and the
interests of U.S. consumers. In preparing its assessment, the
Commission will review available economic assessments regarding the
FTA, including literature regarding any substantially equivalent
proposed agreement, and provide in its assessment a description of the
analyses used and conclusions drawn in such literature, and a
discussion of areas of consensus and divergence between the various
analyses and conclusions, including those of the Commission regarding
the agreement. Section 2104(f)(2) requires that the Commission submit
its report to the President and Congress not later than 90 days after
the President enters into an agreement with the five Central American
countries.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 28, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Stamps, Project Leader, Office
of Economics (202-205-3227 or james.stamps@usitc.gov). For information
on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of
the Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or
william.gearhart@usitc.gov). For media information, contact Peg
O'Laughlin (202-205-1819). Hearing impaired individuals are advised
that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the TDD
terminal on (202-205-1810).
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this
investigation is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on January 18, 2005,
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW.,
Washington, DC. All persons have the right to appear by counsel or in
person, to present information, and to be heard. Persons wishing to
appear at the public hearing should file a letter with the Secretary,
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20436, no later than the close of business (5:15 p.m.)
on January 4, 2005. In addition, persons appearing should file
prehearing briefs (original and 14 copies) with the Secretary by the
close of business on January 4, 2005. Posthearing briefs should be
filed with the Secretary by the close of business on January 26, 2005.
In the event that no requests to appear at the hearing are received by
the close of business on January 4, 2005, the hearing will be
[[Page 77779]]
canceled. Moreover, in the event that there is no hearing, the
Commission shall reference in this report relevant testimony from the
April 27, 2004 hearing. Any person interested in attending the hearing
as an observer or nonparticipant may call the Secretary to the
Commission (202-205-1816) after January 10, 2005 to determine whether
the hearing will be held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to appearing at the
public hearing, interested persons are invited to submit written
statements concerning the investigation. Submissions should be
addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. To be assured of
consideration by the Commission, written statements related to the
Commission's report should be submitted to the Commission at the
earliest practical date, and should be received by the close of
business on January 26, 2005. All written submissions, including
briefs, must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section
201.8 of the rules require that a signed original (or copy designated
as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In
the event that confidential treatment of the document is requested, at
least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which the
confidential business information (CBI) must be deleted (see the
following paragraph for further information regarding CBI). The
Commission's rules do not authorize filing submissions with the
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent
permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for Electronic
Filing Procedures, ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/electronic_filing_handbook.pdf
). Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 or edis@usitc.gov).
Any submissions, including briefs, that contain CBI also must
conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's
rules (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the
cover of the document and the individual pages clearly be marked as to
whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version,
and that the CBI be clearly identified by means of brackets. All
written submissions, except CBI, will be made available for inspection
by interested parties.
The report that the Commission sends to the President and the
Congress will not contain CBI. Although the Commission may aggregate or
otherwise use CBI it receives in the course of this investigation in
preparing its report, the Commission will not publish CBI in the report
in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the
information. The report will be made available to the public on the
Commission's Web site.
The public record for this report may ve viewed on the Commission's
electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.uistc.gov. Hearing impaired
individuals are advised that information on this matter can be obtained
by contacting our TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: December 21, 2004.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 04-28327 Filed 12-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P