[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33824-33825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-14236]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332-520]
Pharmaceutical Products and Chemical Intermediates, Fourth
Review: Advice Concerning the Addition of Certain Products to the
Pharmaceutical Appendix to the HTS
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigation and invitation to file written
submissions.
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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated May 27, 2010 from the
United States Trade Representative (USTR) pursuant to section 115 of
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3524) and section
332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332 (g)), the U.S.
International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation
No. 332-520, Pharmaceutical Products and Chemical Intermediates, Fourth
Review: Advice Concerning the Addition of Certain
[[Page 33825]]
Products to the Pharmaceutical Appendix to the HTS.
DATES:
July 14, 2010: Deadline for filing all written submissions.
September 1, 2010: Transmittal of Commission report to the United
States Trade Representative.
ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this
investigation may be obtained from Philip Stone, Project Leader, Office
of Industries (202-205-3424 or [email protected]). For information
on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of
the Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).
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.
Background: As indicated in the USTR's letter, as part of the
Uruguay Round negotiations, the United States and 21 other countries
agreed to eliminate duties on certain pharmaceutical products and
chemical intermediates used primarily for the production of
pharmaceuticals (pharmaceuticals zero-for-zero initiative) and to
conduct periodic reviews to identify further products that could be
covered by this duty elimination initiative. As a result of
multilateral negotiations in the WTO in 1996, 1998, and 2006, the
United States and other participants eliminated duties on additional
pharmaceutical items. The USTR indicated that participants in the zero-
for-zero initiative are conducting a fourth review to determine if
products can be added to the initiative. As part of the consultation
and layover requirements in section 115 of the URAA relating to an
action by the President to eliminate U.S. duties on additional
pharmaceutical products and chemical intermediates, the President must
obtain advice regarding the proposed action from the U.S. International
Trade Commission.
The USTR asked the Commission to provide advice in the form of
information on the pharmaceutical products and chemical intermediates
proposed for addition to the pharmaceuticals zero-for-zero initiative
as follows: (1) A summary description of the products currently covered
under the initiative as set out in the Pharmaceutical Appendix to the
U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (Appendix) and those proposed to be
added to that Appendix; (2) an explanation of the relationship between
the various elements in the Appendix and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule
of the United States; and (3) an estimate of current U.S. imports and,
where possible, current U.S. exports of the products included in the
current Pharmaceutical Appendix and the proposed additions to the
Appendix, based on product groupings as necessary.
The Commission has posted a list of the proposed additions to the
Pharmaceutical Appendix on its Web site at http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/ongoing/332_520_request_letter.pdf. The
Commission expects to provide its report to the USTR by September 1,
2010.
Written Submissions: Interested parties are invited to file written
submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions
should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later
than 5:15 p.m., July 14, 2010. All written submissions 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 requires that a
signed original (or a copy so designated) and fourteen (14) copies of
each document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of a
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be
filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential
business information). The Commission's rules authorize filing
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means only to
the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for
Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons
with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary
(202-205-2000).
Any submissions that contain confidential business information must
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-
confidential'' version, and that the confidential business information
be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions,
except for confidential business information, will be made available
for inspection by interested parties.
In his request letter, the USTR stated that he intends to make the
Commission's report available to the public in its entirety, and asked
that the Commission not include any confidential business information
or national security classified information in the report that the
Commission sends to the USTR. Any confidential business information
received by the Commission in this investigation and used in preparing
this report will not be published in a manner that would reveal the
operations of the firm supplying the information.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: June 9, 2010.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2010-14236 Filed 6-14-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P