[Federal Register: February 29, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 10847-10848]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29fe00-128]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Free Trade Area of the Americas: Request for Identification of
Private Sector Experts Related to Electronic Commerce
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative
ACTION: Identification of private sector experts in electronic commerce
who may wish to participate in the work of the Free Trade Area of the
Americas (FTAA) Joint Government-Private Sector Committee of Experts on
Electronic Commerce (Joint Committee).
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SUMMARY: The Joint Committee was established by the 34 countries in the
Western Hemisphere participating in the Free Trade Area of the Americas
to make recommendations on how to increase and broaden the benefits to
be derived from the electronic marketplace. The Trade Policy Staff
Committee (TPSC) seeks to identify U.S. private sector experts on
issues related to electronic commerce who may be interested in
participating in the work of the Joint Committee. Interested members of
the public are invited to submit written notice of their interest and
their qualifications.
DATES: Written expressions of interest in participating in the work of
the Joint Committee should be submitted no later than March 24, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning
public comments, contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy
Staff Committee, Office of the United States Trade Representative,
(202) 395-3475. All other questions concerning the Joint Committee may
be directed to Regina Vargo, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western
Hemisphere, U.S. Department of Commerce (202) 482-5324,
Regina__Vargo@ita.doc.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At the Second Summit of the Americas in
April 1998, in Santiago, Chile, the 34 democratically elected Western
Hemisphere leaders initiated negotiations to create the FTAA no later
than the year 2005. They established nine initial negotiating groups, a
consultative group, and two committees, one of which is the Joint
Committee, which began its work in August 1998. The trade ministers
mandated that both government and private sector experts meet as the
Joint Committee to make recommendations on how to increase and broaden
the benefits of electronic commerce; the Joint Committee is not a
negotiating group. Inclusion of the private sector on the committee is
consistent with President Clinton's principle that the private sector
should take the lead in global electronic commerce.
The Joint Committee was chaired by the Government of Barbados
during the initial 18-month period and will be chaired by an Uruguayan
private sector representative and vice chaired by a Canadian government
representative through April 2001. Ms. Regina Vargo, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, U.S. Department of Commerce,
leads the joint U.S. government-pride sector delegation to the Joint
Committee.
Status of Work in the Joint Committee: At the FTAA Ministerial
meeting in Toronto in November 1999, trade minister received, and
released to the public, a report prepared by the Joint Committee
reflecting the culmination of its discussions over the preceding 18
months on a broad range of electronic commerce issues; its
recommendations on increasing and broadening the benefits of electronic
commerce were drafted with the full participation of government and
private sector experts from every region in the Hemisphere. FTAA trade
ministers committed to share the report and its recommendations with
other relevant authorities within their governments. They also
requested that the Joint Committee continue its work as a non-
negotiating group and produce further recommendations over the next 18-
month period. The full report ( Report with Recommendations to
Ministers,'' FTAA.ecom/01) is available in English and Spanish on the
official FTAA website (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ftaa-alca.org) and the U.S.
Government Electronic Commerce website (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ecommerce.gov).
The Joint Committee met most recently on January 25-26, 2000 in
Miami. At this meeting, the Joint Committee's private sector and
government representatives identified issues to be discussed during the
next phase of its work. The Joint Committee will focus on issues
related to access and infrastructure, small and medium-sized
enterprises, authentication, and online payments, and consider
developments in other areas such as intellectual property, taxation and
consumer protection. The Joint Committee will make further
recommendations to trade ministers for their consideration at the next
FTAA Ministerial meeting in April 2001.
Private Sector Participation: During the first 18-month period, 13
U.S. private sector representatives, reflecting a balance of interests
and electronic commerce issue expertise, participated
[[Page 10848]]
in the work of the Joint Committee. All had responded to notices in the
Federal Register (63 FR 42090 August 6, 1998 and 64 FR 26811, May 17,
1999) or to request to official trade advisors inviting expressions of
interest and qualifications to participate in the work of the Joint
Committee.
Public Comments
As the Joint Committee enters the second phases in the FTAA
process, the TPSC is seeking to solicit anew U.S. private sector
interest in participation on the Joint Committee, taking into
consideration its current work plan. In order to assist the TPSC in
identifying U.S. private sector experts on issues related to electronic
commerce, members of the public are invited to submit written notice of
their interest and describe their qualifications. Qualifications of
interest include: demonstrated expertise in one or more aspects of
electronic commerce; knowledge of the Western Hemisphere, including
established contacts with foreign private sector interests in the
region; an ability and willingness to broadly solicit views from and
disseminate information to private sector interests; and familiarity
with U.S. and foreign trade and investment policies and obligations and
developments in electronic commerce fora.
Those persons wishing to make written submissions should provide
twenty (20) typed copies (in English) no later than noon, Friday, March
24, 2000 to Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff
Committee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Room 122, 600 17th
Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20508.
Written submissions in connection with this request will be
available for public inspection in the USTR Reading Room, Room 101,
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th St., N.W.,
Washington, D.C. An appointment to review the file may be made by
calling Brenda Webb (202) 395-6186. The Reading Room is open to the
public from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday
through Friday.
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Acting Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 00-4805 Filed 2-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3901-01-M