USTR Requests Resubmission of Comments on WTO Duty-Free Quota-Free Market Access for All Least Developed Countries, Etc.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice stating that there was a technical malfunction in the e-mail address contained in its original notice requesting comments on the World Trade Organization (WTO) decision on duty-free, quota-free (DFQF) market access for the least-developed countries (LDCs), and the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting the public to resubmit any written comments submitted prior to March 14, 2007.
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The USTR states that written comments should be submitted electronically no later than April 15, 2007. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/24/07 news, 07012430, for BP summary of the USTR's original request for comments.)
(The USTR previously stated that at the Sixth Ministerial, WTO members agreed to provide duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all products originating from all LDCs by 2008, or no later than the start of the implementation period of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) in a manner that ensures stability, security, and predictability.
It was agreed that WTO Members would implement the DFQF initiative coincident with the implementation of the results of the negotiations under DDA. On a voluntary basis, WTO Members may also implement sooner. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/20/05 news, 05122005, for BP summary of the December 2005 WTO decision on DFQF market access for LDCs.))
ITC Institutes Investigation on Duty-Free Quota-Free Treatment for LDCs
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has also issued a notice announcing that at the request of the USTR, it is instituting an investigation for the purpose of providing advice on the probable economic effect of providing DFQF treatment for imports from LDCs on (i) industries in the U.S. producing like or directly competitive products and (ii) on U.S. consumers.
The ITC states that written statements related to the investigation should be submitted to the ITC no later than 5:15 p.m. on April 3, 2007. The ITC adds that it will transmit its advice to the USTR by August 16, 2007.
- written comments should be submitted to the USTR electronically no later than April 15, 2007
-written statements on the ITC investigation should be submitted to the ITC no later than 5:15 p.m. April 3, 2007
| Office of WTO and Multilateral Affairs (USTR) | (202) 395-6843 |
| Karl Tsuji (ITC) | (202) 205-3434 |
USTR notice (FR Pub 03/20/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-5032.pdf
ITC notice (Inv. No. 332-486, FR Pub 03/20/07) available athttp://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-5042.pdf
BP Note
According to the USTR, the U.S. currently provides preferential treatment to products from LDCs through various preferential programs, such as the AGOA, the CBI, the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), and "GSP-plus" for LDCs.
The USTR has previously stated that LDCs overall are already eligible for duty-free access to the U.S. on 83% of the 10,265 tariff lines in the U.S. tariff schedule. LDCs covered by AGOA and CBI are eligible for duty-free access on up to 91% of the tariff lines in the U.S. tariff schedule. (USTR statement, dated 12/19/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Transcripts/2005/December/Remarks_by_USTR_Portman_at_the_Closing_Press_Briefing.html and fact sheet, dated 12/18/06, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Fact_Sheets/2005/Update_from_Hong_Kong_Duty-Free_Quota-Free.html