Generalized System of Preferences: Annual product and country eligibility practices review (1998)— Petitions accepted and Panama IPR review terminated,

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Federal Register: October 26, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 206)NoticesPage 57150-57154From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr26oc98-108

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); Notice Regarding the 1998 GSP Annual Review and Termination of the IPR Review of Panama

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the petitions that were accepted for the 1998 GSP Annual Review for modifications of GSP product eligibility; lists the schedule for the public hearing on these petitions, for requesting participation in the hearing, and for submitting pre-hearing and post-hearing briefs; and terminates the IPR review of Panama.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, D.C. 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Panama IPR Review

In 1995, a review of Panama's protection of intellectual property rights was initiated in response to a petition filedby Nintendo. Since that time, Panama has improved its enforcement of intellectual property rights. On April 30, 1998, USTR removed Panama from the Special 301 ``Watch List.'' In light of Panama's improved enforcement efforts, this review is terminated.

II. 1998 GSP Product Review

The GSP program grants duty-free treatment to designated eligible articles that are imported from designated beneficiary developing countries. The GSP program is authorized by Title V the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.), and administered in accordance with GSP regulations (15 CFR Part 2007) which provide for a GSP annual review.

In a notice dated April 16, 1998, USTR initiated the 1998 GSP Annual Review and announced a deadline of June 16, 1998 for the filing of petitions (63 FR 18963). The product petitions that we received requested changes in the eligibility of products by adding or removing products, or the waiver of ``competitive need limitations'' (CNLs) for eligible articles. Authorization for granting CNL waivers is set forth in section 503(d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2464(d)).

The GSP Subcommittee on the TPSC has reviewed the 46 product petitions that were received and has decided that 16 of these petitions should be accepted for consideration in the 1998 GSP Annual Review. The annex to this notice sets forth the case number, product identification, the change requested and the petitioner for each product included in the 1998 GSP Annual Review.

[Page 57151]III. Opportunities for Public Comment and Inspection of Comments

The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of, or in opposition to, any petition which is the subject of this notice. Submissions should comply with 15 CFR Part 2007, including section 2007.0, and 2007.1. All submissions should identify the subject article(s) in terms of the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (``HTS'') nomenclature.

Comments should be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in English, to the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, 600 17th Street, NW, Room 518, Washington, DC 20508. Information submitted will be subject to public inspection by appointment with the staff of the USTR public reading room, except for information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.6 and other qualifying information submitted in confidence pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.7. If the document contains confidential information, an original and fourteen (14) copies of a nonconfidential version of the submission along with an original and fourteen (14) copies of the confidential version must be submitted. In addition, any document containing confidential information should be clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and bottom of each page of the document. The version that does not contain confidential information (the public version) should also be clearly marked at the top and bottom of every page (either ``public version'' or ``nonconfidential''). Comments should be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 30, 1998.

IV. Notice of Public Hearings

Hearings will be held on December 10 and 11, 1998 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E. Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20436. The hearings will be open to the public and a transcript of the hearings will be made available for public inspection or can be purchased from the reporting company. No electronic media coverage will be allowed.

All interested parties wishing to present oral testimony at the hearings must submit the name, address, and telephone number of the witnesses representing their organization to the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee. Such requests to present oral testimony at the public hearing should be accompanied by fourteen (14) copies, in English, of a written brief or statement, and should be received by 5 p.m. on November 30, 1998. Oral testimony before the GSP Subcommittee will be limited to five minute presentations that summarize or supplement information contained in the briefs or statements submitted for the record. Post-hearing and rebuttal briefs or statements should conform to the regulations cited above and be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in English, no later than 5 p.m. January 6, 1999. Interested persons not wishing to appear at the public hearings may also submit pre-hearing written briefs or statements by 5:00 p.m. on November 30, 1998, and post-hearing and rebuttal written briefs or statements by January 6, 1999. Comments by interested persons on the USITC Report prepared as part of the product review should be submitted in fourteen (14) copies, in English, by 5 p.m. March 22, 1999. Frederick L. Montgomery, Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.

Annex [The bracketed language in this Annex has been included only to clarify the scope of the numbered subheadings

which are being considered, and such language is not itself intended to describe articles which are under consideration.]

Case No.

HTS subheading

Article

Petitioner

Part A. Petitions to remove duty-free status from beneficiary developing countries, other than those designated as least-developed beneficiary developing countries, for a product on the list of eligible articles for Generalized System of Preferences.

98-1

2934.20.05............ Nucleic acids and their salts; other heterocyclic compounds: Compounds containing a benzothiazole ring-system (whether or not hydrogenated), not further fused: N-tert-Butyl-2- benzothiazolesulfenamide Flexsys America L.P., Nitro, WV.....

Part B. Petitions for waiver of competitive need limit for a product on the list of eligible products for the Generalized System of Preferences.

98-2

2841.70.10............ Salts of oxometallic or

Chilean Copper Commission, (Chile)............... peroxometallic acids: Molybdates: Chile; Corporacion Of ammonium

Nacional del Cobre de Chile, Chile. Unsaturated acrylic monocarboxylic acids, cyclic monocarboxylic acids, their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulfonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives: Aromatic monocarboxylic acids, their anhydrides, halides, peroxides, peroxyacids and their derivatives: Benzoic acid, its salts and esters: Benzoic acid and its salts: [p-Sulfobenzoic acid, potassium salt] 98-3

2916.31.15............ Other............................... Velsicol Chemical (Estonia).............

Corporation, Rosemont, IL.

[Page 57152]Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood: Plywood consisting solely of sheets of wood, each ply not exceeding 6 mm in thickness: With at least one outer ply of tropical wood specified in subheading note 1 to chapter 44 of the HTS: Not surface covered, or surface covered with a clear or transparent material which does not obscure the grain, texture or markings of the face ply: [With a face ply of birch (Betula spp.); with a face ply of Spanish cedar (Cedrela spp.) or walnut (Juglans spp.)] Other: [With at least one outer ply of the following tropical woods: Dark Red Meranti, Light Red Meranti, White Lauan, Sipo, Limba, Okoume, Obeche, Acajou d'Afrique, Sapelli, Virola, Mahogany, Palissandre de Para, Palissandre de Rio or Palissandre de Rose] 98-4

4412.13.50............ Other............................... Government of Indonesia. (Indonesia)........... Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood: Other, with at least one outer ply of nonconiferous wood: With at least one ply of tropical wood specified in subheading note 1 to chapter 44 of the HTS: [Containing at least one layer of particle board] Other: Plywood: Not surface covered, or surface covered with a clear or transparent material which does not obscure the grain, texture or markings of the face ply: [With a face ply of birch (Betula spp.)] 98-5

4412.22.30............ Other............................... Government of Indonesia. (Indonesia)........... Articles of jewelry and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal: Of precious metal whether or not plated or clad with precious metal: Of silver, whether or not plated or clad with other precious metal: [Rope, curb, cable, chain and similar articles produced in continuous lengths, all the foregoing, whether or not cut to specific lengths and whether or not set with imitation pearls or imitation gemstones, suitable for use in the manufacture of articles provided for in heading 7113] ...................... Other: [Valued not over $18 per dozen pieces or parts] 98-6

7113.11.50............ Other............................... Government of Thailand. (Thailand) Of other precious metal, whether or not plated of clad with precious metal: [Rope, curb, cable, chain and similar articles produced in continuous lengths, all the foregoing, whether or not cut to specific lengths and whether or not set with imitation pearls or imitation gemstones, suitable for use in the manufacture of articles provided for in heading 7113]. Other: Necklaces and neck chains, of gold: [rope; mixed link] 98-7

7113.19.29............ Other............................... Government of India. (India) Refined copper and copper alloys, unwrought (other than master alloys of heading 7405): Refined copper: [Cathodes and sections of cathodes; wire bars] 98-8

7403.13.00............ Billets............................. Chilean Copper Commission, (Chile)...............

Chile; Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile, Chile. 98-9

7403.19.00............ Other............................... Do. (Chile)............... Table, kitchen or other household articles and parts thereof, of copper; pot scourers and scouring or polishing pads, gloves and the like, of copper; sanitary ware and parts thereof, of copper: Table, kitchen or other household articles and parts thereof; pot scourers and scouring or polishing pads, gloves and the like: [Pot scourers and scouring or polishing pads, gloves and the like) 98-10

7418.19.20............ Other: [Coated or plated with

Government of India. (India)............... precious metals]. Other: Of copper-zinc base alloys (brass)

[Page 57153]98-11

8483.10.30............ Transmission shafts (including

Cummins Engine Company, (Brazil).............. camshafts and crankshafts) and

Columbus, IN. cranks; bearing housings, housed bearings and plain shaft bearings; gears and gearing; ball or roller screws; gear boxes and other speed changers, including torque converters; flywheels and pulleys, including pulley blocks; clutches and shaft couplings (including universal joints); parts thereof: Transmission shafts (including camshafts and crankshafts) and cranks: Camshafts and crankshafts: [Designed for use solely or principally with spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines or rotary engines] Other............................... Reception apparatus for radiotelephony, radiotelegraphy or radiobroadcasting, whether or not combined, in the same housing, with sound recording or reproducing apparatus or a clock: [Radiobroadcast receivers capable of operating without an external source of power, including apparatus capable of receiving also radiotelephony or radiotelegraphy; radio- broadcast receivers not capable of operating without an external source of power, of a kind used in motor vehicles, including apparatus capable of receiving also radiotelephony or radiotelegraphy] Other radiobroadcast receivers, including apparatus capable of receiving also radiotelephony or radiotelegraphy: [Combined with sound recording or reproducing apparatus; not combined with sound recording or reproducing apparatus but combined with a clock] 98-12

8527.39.10............ Other............................... Pioneer Electronics (Indonesia)...........

(U.S.A.), Inc., Long Beach, CA; P.T. Dahw Electronic Indonesia, Indonesia. Reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radiobroadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus; video monitors and video projectors: Reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radiobroadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus: Color: Non-high definition, having a single picture tube intended for direct viewing (non-projection type), with a video display diagonal not exceeding 35.56 com: Incorporating video recording or reproducing apparatus: [With a video display diagonal not exceeding 33.02 cm] 98-13

8528.12.16............ Other............................... Government of Thailand; (Thailand)............

Orion Sales, Olney, IL; Thomson Consumer Electronic, Inc, Indianapolis, IN; Thomson Television (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Thailand World Electric (Thailand), Ltd., Thailand. 98-14

8531.20.00............ Electric sound or visual signaling Government of the (Philippines)......... apparatus (for example, bells,

Philippines. sirens, indicator panels, burglar or fire alarms), other than those of heading 8512 or 8530; parts thereof: Indicator panels incorporating liquid crystal devices (LCD's) or light emitting diodes (LED's). Parts and accessories of the motor vehicles of headings 8701 to 8705: Brakes and servo-brakes and parts thereof: [Mounted brake Linings] Other: [For tractors suitable for agricultural use] 98-15

8708.39.50............ For other vehicles.................. Bosch Braking Systems (Brazil)..............

Corporation, Sumter, SC; Robert Bosch Limitada, Brazil. 98-16

9001.30.00............ Optical fibers and optical fiber Government of Indonesia. (Indonesia)........... bundles; optical fiber cables other than those of heading 8544; sheets and plates of polarizing material; lenses (including contact Lenses), prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, unmounted, other than such elements of glass not optically worked: Contact Lenses.

[Page 57154]

FR Doc. 98-28589Filed10-23-98; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 3901-01-M

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