USTR Announces Results of Preliminary Review of Certain Petitions Filed for 2004 ATPA Annual Review, Etc
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing the results of the preliminary review of certain petitions it received in connection with its 2004 Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) annual review, as well as the status of 2003 petitions that have remained under review.
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(The ATPA, as renewed and expanded by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act of 2002 (ATPDEA), provides trade benefits for eligible Andean countries, currently Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.)
Review of One Petition Terminated, Results of Other Reviews Still Pending
Review of one petition terminated. According to the USTR, the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) has determined that the petition filed by the American Cast Iron Pipe Company concerning Ecuador does not require action and terminates its review.
Results for eight petitions to be announced later. With respect to the remaining 2004 petitions, the TPSC is modifying the schedule so that the results will be announced on or about May 31, 2005.
The TPSC is similarly modifying the date of the announcement of the results of preliminary review for the remaining 2003 petitions to May 31, 2005.
The USTR states that the following petitions that remain under review:
| Peru | Engelhard |
| Peru | Princeton Dover |
| Peru | LeTourneau |
| Peru | Duke Energy |
| Ecuador | AFL-CIO, Human Rights Watch, and US/LEAP |
| Ecuador | Chevron Texaco |
| Ecuador | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. |
| Peru | Parsons Corporation |
(The USTR has previously explained any person may submit a petition that the designation of a country as an ATPA or ATPDEA beneficiary country be withdrawn or suspended, or the application of certain preferential treatment to any article of any ATPA or ATPDEA beneficiary country be withdrawn, suspended, or limited. See ITT's Online Archives or 07/31/03 news, 03073120, for BP summary of the USTR's final rule on this petition process.)
(See ITT's Online Archives or 11/18/04 news, 04111899 5, for BP summary of the USTR's notice listing the petitions for the 2004 review and announcing the status of 2003 petitions that had remained under review.)
USTR contact - Bennett Harman (202) 395-9446
USTR notice (FR Pub 01/18/05) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-865.pdf