U.S.-Argentina Business Development Council and U.S.-Brazil Business Development CouncilStandards Working Groups

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

U.S.-Argentina Business Development Council and U.S.-Brazil

Business Development Council--Standards Working Groups

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, DOC.

ACTION: Notice of Open Discussion Roundtable and Standards Seminar

Organized by the U.S.-Argentina Business Development Council Standards

Working Group and the U.S.-Brazil Business Development Council

Standards Working Group.

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SUMMARY: On January 25, 1995, Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and

Argentine Minister of Economy and Public Works and Services Domingo

Cavallo signed the Terms of Reference to create the U.S.-Argentina

Business Development Council (A-BDC). On March 23, 1995, Secretary of

Commerce Ronald H. Brown and Brazilian Minister of External Relations

Luiz Felipe Lampreia signed the Terms of Reference to create the U.S.-

Brazil Business Development Council (B-BDC). The purpose of the BDCs,

which are bilateral, public-private sector councils, is to provide a

forum for cooperation through which U.S. and respectively, Argentine

and Brazilian (Argentine/Brazilian) representatives can exchange

information on commercial matters and encourage discussion on various

themes related to bilateral business development and trade promotion.

The BDCs are comprised of U.S. and Argentine/Brazilian sections.

The U.S. sections are comprised of U.S. Government officials and senior

level representatives of U.S. companies with commercial interest and

experience in Argentina/Brazil. The activities of the BDCs may include,

but are not limited to. the following: identifying commercial

opportunities, impediments and issues of concern to the U.S. and

Argentine/Brazilian business communities; improving dissemination of

information on U.S.-Argentine/Brazilian market opportunities;

developing sectoral or project oriented approaches to expanding

bilateral business opportunities; implementing bilateral trade and

business development programs; and other appropriate steps to foster

bilateral commercial relations.

To implement these activities, the BDCs have formed various working

groups, including Standards Working Groups (``Standards Groups'') in

each BDC. The two Standards Groups intend to implement a program to

encourage use of internationally accepted standards and conformity

assessment practices and to enhance the efficiency of U.S.-Argentine/

Brazilian commerce by identifying possible solutions to standards-

related impediments.

DATES: The standards discussion roundtable will be held on Tuesday,

September 19, 1995 at 1:30 P.M. The standards seminar is scheduled for

Tuesday, November 28, 1995.

ADDRESSES: The standards discussion roundtable will be held at the U.S.

Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, Auditorium, 14th

and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. The standards

seminar will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

(1) Regarding the A-BDC generally--Carrie B. Clark, Argentina Desk,

(202) 482-0477;

(2) Regarding the B-BDC generally--Laura Zeiger-Hatfield, Brazil Desk,

(202) 482-0428;

(3) Regarding both BDC Standards Groups and the Discussion Roundtable--

Dr. Stanley I. Warshaw, Senior Policy Advisor for Standards and

Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade

Administration, HCHB Room 3527, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-5620 or

5853, Fax: (202) 482-5444, Internet: W[email protected];

(4) Regarding the Standards Seminar--Mr. John L. Donaldson, Chief,

Standards Code and Information Program, U.S. Department of Commerce,

National Institute of Standards and Technology, TB 417, Room 109,

Gaithersburg MD 20899, (301)975-4030, Fax: (301)963-2871, Internet:

D[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Open Standards Discussion Roundtable Organized by the A-BDC and B-BDC

Standards Groups

The U.S. sections of the BDC Standards Groups will host a

roundtable to generate a broad private sector discussion of standards-

related issues that may be considered by the A-BDC and B-BDC Standards

Groups in preparation for future bilateral meetings scheduled to take

place, respectively in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. The standards

seminar will be open to all interested participants.

Open Standards Seminar

The BDCs will organize a standards seminar. In accordance with the

public--private sector partnership embodied in the BDCs, the seminar is

being organized and cosponsored by the International Trade

Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Argentina's National Institute of

Industrial Technology, Brazil's National Institute of Metrology,

Standardization and Industrial Quality, and the A-BDC and B-BDC

Standards Groups. The standards seminar will be open to all interested

participants.

Contact Information

Those interested in attending the standards roundtable discussion

or in submitting written comments on standards issues relevant to U.S.-

Argentine/Brazilian commerce and/or in participating in the standards

seminar in Buenos Aires should contact the relevant persons listed

above.

Authority: Act of February 14, 1903, c. 552, as amended, 15

U.S.C. Sec. 1501 et seq., 32 Stat. 825.

[[Page 45696]]

Dated: August 25, 1995.

Walter M. Bastian, III,

Director, Office of Latin America and the Caribbean.

[FR Doc. 95-21697 Filed 8-31-95; 8:45 am]

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