The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published two Federal Register Notices on August 5 seeking feedback on foreign World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations: China’s compliance with WTO commitments and Russia’s implementation of WTO commitments. The USTR is holding public hearings and requesting public comments for both topics.
The USTR is required to submit annual reports to Congress on China’s compliance with commitments made in connection with its accession to the WTO, and on the extent to which Russia is implementing the WTO Agreement. (See the China and Russia Federal Register notices for further information.) Feedback received through written comments and participation in the public hearings will assist the USTR in the preparation of these reports.
China’s Compliance with WTO Commitments
Written comments and/or oral testimony should address China’s compliance with the commitments made in connection with its accession to the WTO, including, but not limited to, commitments in the following areas: trading rights; import regulation (e.g., tariffs, tariff-rate quotas, quotas, import licenses); export regulation; internal policies affecting trade (e.g., subsidies, standards and technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, government procurement, trade-related investment measures, taxes and charges levied on imports and exports); intellectual property rights (including intellectual property rights enforcement); services; rule of law issues (e.g., transparency, judicial review, uniform administration of laws and regulations) and status of legal reform; and other WTO commitments
Public Hearing: USTR will convene a public hearing on September 24, 2024. Stakeholders who seek to observe the public hearing will find a link on USTR’s webpage for China on the day of the hearing at https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/chinamongolia-taiwan. Those who wish to participate must submit requests to present oral testimony at the hearing and written testimony by midnight on September 10, via regulations.gov, using Docket Number USTR–2024–0012. USTR will provide a link in advance of the virtual hearing to individuals wishing to testify.
Call for Comments: Written comments must be submitted by September 10 via regulations.gov, using Docket Number USTR–2024–0012.
Russia’s Implementation of WTO Commitments
Written comments and/or oral testimony should address Russia’s implementation of the commitments made in connection with its accession to the WTO, including, but not limited to, commitments in the following areas: import regulation (e.g., tariffs, tariff-rate quotas, quotas, import licenses); export regulation; subsidies; standards and technical regulations; sanitary and phytosanitary measures; trade-related investment measures (including local content requirements); taxes and charges levied on imports and exports; other internal policies affecting trade; intellectual property rights (including intellectual property rights enforcement); services; government procurement; rule of law issues (e.g., transparency, judicial review, uniform administration of laws and regulations); trade facilitation; and other WTO commitments.
Public Hearing: USTR will convene a public hearing on October 10, 2024. Stakeholders who seek to observe the public hearing will find a link on USTR’s webpage for Russia on the day of the hearing at https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/europe-middle-east/russia-and-eurasia/russia. Those who wish to participate must submit requests to present oral testimony at the hearing and written testimony by midnight on September 19, via regulations.gov, using Docket Number USTR–2024–0011. USTR will provide a link in advance of the virtual hearing to individuals wishing to testify.
Call for Comments: Written comments must be submitted by September 18 via regulations.gov, using Docket Number USTR–2024–0011.
Detailed instructions on submitting comments can be found in the Federal Register notices.