The Office of U.S. Trade Representative issued its list of eligible goods and services from Panama eligible for a Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing Requirements under Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as a result of the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, which takes effect Oct. 31.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) for sugar established by the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement will be administered using certificates, effective Oct. 31.

Members of the U.S. Council for International Business continue to have on-going concerns with China's compliance with its World Trade Organization commitments in horizontal areas (antidumping, certification, licensing, IPR, government procurement, market access, regulatory environment, standards, SOEs and taxation), sector specific concerns (ag bio, audiovisual, chemicals, customs, electronic payments, express delivery, pharma, software, telecommunications) and in such areas as certification licensing and testing requirements, USCIB said in its 2012 statement to U.S. Trade Representative on China's compliance with its WTO commitments, following an earlier Federal Register notice. (See ITT's Online Archives 12101028).

The Office of U.S. Trade Representative and the East African Community (EAC) issued a statement Oct. 19 saying they have taken important steps to advance the U.S.-EAC Trade and Investment Partnership, which they said enhances the U.S.-EAC trade and investment relationship. They said they agreed on a framework to move forward on the establishment of a Commercial Dialogue, which will be formally launched in late November.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking applicants for a roster of individuals to sit on binational panels to review final determinations in antidumping or countervailing duty proceedings and amendments to AD/CV duty statutes of a North American Free Trade Agreement Party, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 22. Applications are due Nov. 30 from those wishing to be on the roster for the period April 1, 2013, through March 31, 2014. They can be filed to www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2012-0034, or by fax, to Sandy McKinzy at 202-395-3640. Further information: Suzanne Garner, 202-395-9663.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking public input on its request for World Trade Organization consultations with China on China's alleged subsidies for automobile and automobile-parts enterprises in China, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 17. (See ITT's Online Archives 12091714). The U.S. said the subsidies are inconsistent with the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and that China has failed to comply with its transparency obligations under the WTO Agreement.

The Telecommunications Industry Association is "concerned about Brazilian regulator Anatel not accepting test data generated outside of Brazil, except in those cases where the equipment is too physically large and/or costly to transport," it said in comments filed with the U.S. Trade Representative on its Foreign Trade Barriers report.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on whether Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Turks and Caicos Islands should be designated eligible to receive benefits under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act as amended by the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) (19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.); and whether Aruba, the Bahamas, Domenica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines should be designated to receive benefits under CBTPA, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. Written comments are due Nov. 9 and should be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov. Further information: Donald Eiss, 202-395-3475.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative wants input on a Sept. 17 request by China for a World Trade Organization dispute settlement proceeding concerning Public Law 112-99, “Application of Countervailing Duty Provisions to Nonmarket Countries” and Section 2 of P.L. 112-99, “Adjustment of Antidumping Duty in Certain Proceedings Relating to Imports from Nonmarket Economy Countries,” it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. China also challenges the concurrent application of antidumping and countervailing duties under the nonmarket economy methodology with respect to several investigations and reviews initiated between Nov. 20, 2006, and March 13, 2012, on imports from China. China alleges inconsistencies with provisions of the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade; the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; and the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994.

The U.S. Trade Representative requested World Trade Organization dispute settlement consultations with China about China's antidumping and countervailing duties on automobiles from the U.S., it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 11. The U.S. believes that certain measures imposing antidumping and countervailing duties on the autos are inconsistent with China's obligations under the WTO Agreement, it said. The U.S. sought consultations with China on July 5, but the talks, held Aug. 23, didn't resolve the issue, it said.