USTR Schedules Hearings on Country Practice Petitions Accepted for 2008 GSP Annual Review, Etc.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice setting forth the schedule for comment and public hearings on the country practice petitions that have been accepted for the 2008 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Review that are continuing to be evaluated, for requesting participation in the hearings of such petitions, and for submitting pre-hearing and post-hearing briefs and comments for such petitions.
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USTR's notice also announces the continued evaluation for acceptance of certain country practice petitions submitted in the 2008 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Review.
(USTR notes that that acceptance of a petition for review does not indicate any opinion with respect to the merits of the petition. Acceptance indicates only that the listed petitions have been found eligible for review by the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) and that such review will take place.)
Comment, Public Hearing Schedule for Accepted & Continued Review of Petitions
The USTR has outlined the comment and public hearing schedule for the following country practice petitions that the TPSC has accepted for the 2008 GSP Annual Review:
| Country | Reason |
| Bangladesh | Worker Rights |
| Niger | Worker Rights |
| Philippines | Worker Rights |
| Uzbekistan | Worker Rights, Intellectual Property Rights |
| Lebanon | Intellectual Property Rights |
| Russia | Intellectual Property Rights |
USTR's schedule for these petitions is as follows:
April 2, 2009: Pre-hearing briefs and comments, requests to appear at the GSP Subcommittee Public Hearing, and hearing statements must be submitted by 5 p.m. EDT.
April 24, 2009: GSP Subcommittee public hearing on all country practice petitions accepted for the 2008 GSP Annual Review beginning at 9 a.m. EDT.
May 8, 2009: Post-hearing briefs and comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. EDT.
Decision on Acceptance of Iraq, Sri Lanka Petitions Has Been Further Deferred
The decision whether to accept the country practice petitions with respect to worker rights in Iraq and Sri Lanka that were submitted for inclusion in the 2008 GSP Annual Review has been further deferred. The country practice petition submitted regarding the Philippines has been withdrawn.
(The decision for these petitions was expected to be announced no later than March 15, 2009.)
The USTR notes that once a decision is made, it will be published in the Federal Register.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/28/09 news, 09012815, for BP summary of the USTR announcing the country practice petitions under evaluation for the 2008 GSP Annual Review, etc.
See ITT's Online Archives or 09/15/08 news, 08091505, for BP summary of the product and country practice petitions filed/accepted for the 2008 GSP Annual Review.
See ITT's Online Archives or 03/12/09 news, 09031210, for BP summary of the Trade Subcommittee Chairman Levin discussing a variety of trade issues that are expected to be a part of the Obama Administration's new trade policy, including GSP.)
USTR contact- Tameka Cooper (202) 395-6971 or Tameka_Cooper@ustr.eop.gov
USTR notice (FR Pub 03/16/09) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-5541.pdf
Additional 2008 GSP Annual Review information is available at http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Development/Preference_Programs/GSP/GSP_2008_Annual_Review/Section_Index.html