AGENCY:

Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Request for comments.

SUMMARY:

On October 27, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden announced that the United States would explore the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework to deepen economic relations in the Indo-Pacific region and coordinate approaches to addressing global economic challenges. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative will co-chair the U.S. team leading the negotiations of the framework. The United States Trade Representative will lead the Framework’s pillar on fair and resilient trade, and the Department of Commerce will lead the Framework’s pillars on: (1) Supply chain resilience; (2) infrastructure, clean energy, and decarbonization; and (3) tax and anti-corruption. Accordingly, the Department of Commerce is seeking public comments on key areas of interest, including: Digital and emerging technologies; supply chain resilience; infrastructure, decarbonization, and clean energy; and tax and anti-corruption. This notice requests comments and information from the public to assist the Secretary of Commerce in developing the U.S. position in these negotiations. To provide comments on the fair and resilient trade pillar on elements unrelated to the digital and emerging technologies, please see the relevant USTR request for comment.

DATES:

Comments and supporting documents must be submitted on or before April 11, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Address all written comments in response to this notice to “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework” and file through the Federal eRulemaking Portal:

https://www.regulations.gov. To submit comments via https://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number ITA-2022-0001 on the home page and click “search.” The site will provide a search results page listing all documents associated with this docket. Once you find this notice, click into it and click on the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. (For further information on using https://www.regulations.gov, please consult the resources provided on the website by clicking on “How to Use This Site.”)

Instructions:

Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by the Department of Commerce. Commenters should include which of the nine topics they are addressing or indicate “other issues of consideration.” Commentors that self-identify as a small business (generally defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration as firms with fewer than 500 employees) or organizations representing small business members should indicate this.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please direct general questions or questions concerning written comments to Eric Holloway, Deputy Director for the Office of East Asia, Oceania, and APEC, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce at Indo-Pacific.Economic.Framework@trade.gov or at 202-482-3152.

Click here for complete FR Notice.