Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee; Working Group on Product Standards and Certification; Request for Public Comment on Recommendation to Reduce Barriers to Exports Related to Product Standards and Certification

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee; Working Group on Product

Standards and Certification; Request for Public Comment on

Recommendation to Reduce Barriers to Exports Related to Product

Standards and Certification

AGENCY: Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, Working Group on

Product Standards and Certification.

ACTION: Request for public comment on recommendation to review programs

in order to reduce regulatory barriers to exports related to product

standards and certification.

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SUMMARY: The Interagency Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee's

Working Group on Product Standards and Certification invites written

comments from the public on a recommendation to review regulatory and

procurement programs to identify outdated or unnecessary restrictions

to exports related to product standards and certification.

DATES: Written comments from the public are due on or before May 10,

1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles M. Ludolph, Director, Office

of European Community Affairs, room 3036, U.S. Department of Commerce,

Washington, DC 20230, (202)482-5276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Government's Trade Promotion

Coordinating Committee (TPCC) established a working group to implement

recommendations which would promote U.S. exports and reduce barriers to

exporting related to product standards and certification. These

recommendations were included in the TPCC's first report to Congress,

entitled ``Toward a National Export Strategy'' and dated September 30,

1993. The working group has determined that public views on the

implementation of Recommendation Number 8 would be useful. This

recommendation charges the TPCC member departments and agencies to:

Review regulatory programs to identify outdated or unnecessary

restrictions to exports and implement appropriate modifications.

The TPCC Report explains the purpose of this recommendation as

follows:

This review is designed to reduce the impact of regulations on

exports, while maintaining the domestic level of health and safety

protection. For example, prior to 1986, the Federal Food, Drug and

Cosmetic Act did not allow U.S. firms to export pharmaceuticals that

had not received approval for marketing from the FDA. However, the Drug

Export Act amendments of 1986 established provisions that permit such

exports, subject to certain restrictions, including notification by the

government of the importing country that the products meet its

requirements.

Comments from the public should identify any regulatory programs

dealing with safety, consumer information, environment, and procurement

which are outdated or are unnecessary restrictions to exports related

to product standards and certification.

The TPCC was established pursuant to section 201 of the Export

Enhancement Act of 1992 (19 U.S.C. para 4727). The TPCC Working Group

on Product Standards and Certification is an informal working group of

the TPCC charged with identifying means to implement the

recommendations embodied in the TPCC report and has no regulatory

authority. Therefore, any comments received from the public will not be

construed as a petition for change. No commenter is required to provide

specific information other than that necessary for self-identification.

Copies of the TPCC Report can be reviewed in room 3314, Office of

European Community Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington DC

20230.

Comments must be filed by May 10, 1994 with Charles Ludolph,

Director, Office of European Community Affairs, room 3036, U.S.

Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Washington,

D.C. 20230.

Dated: February 3, 1994.

Charles M. Ludolph,

Director, Office of European Community Affairs.

[FR Doc. 94-3004 Filed 2-8-94; 8:45 am]

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