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U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economy-wide ... - USITC

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that the procedural deadlines as outlined in the chapter could lead to delays and have an<br />

injurious effect on a complaining party. 158<br />

In its report on the agreement, the <strong>Trade</strong> and Environment Policy Advisory Committee<br />

(TEPAC) stated that it approves of the transparency provisions relating to dispute-settlement<br />

proceedings as outlined in this chapter, but would prefer that the acceptance of submissions<br />

from the public in dispute-settlement proceedings be mandatory rather than permissive. 159<br />

TEPAC added that its members approve of the panel selection procedures and believe the<br />

procedures would ensure that panelists dealing with environmental issues have the requisite<br />

expertise. TEPAC, however, expressed concern about the clarity and implication of the side<br />

letter to the FTA related to environmental dispute resolution that states that parties should<br />

first consider whether the party at issue maintains environmental laws “of substantial<br />

equivalent scope” as the potential dispute-settlement matter before initiating such a<br />

proceeding. TEPAC urged that this side letter be clarified before the FTA is approved. 160<br />

In its report, the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee (IGPAC) recommended the<br />

creation of a federal-state international trade commission that would provide an<br />

infrastructure to facilitate cooperation and understanding of trade issues across all levels of<br />

government and to address state and local interests in such issues, including disputesettlement<br />

proceedings. 161 IGPAC said that such a committee should be based on U.S.<br />

constitutional federalism, and cited the Canadian federal-provincial committee for trade<br />

consultations (C-<strong>Trade</strong>) as a potential model. IGPAC also said that the USTR and the U.S.<br />

Department of Justice should request that the federal government cover expenses that state<br />

governments incur in the course of defending state laws or regulations in the disputesettlement<br />

process associated with this FTA. 162<br />

In its report, the Advisory Committee for <strong>Trade</strong> Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN) stated<br />

that the procedures in this chapter are fully transparent and supports the use of public<br />

hearings and acceptance of submissions of interested parties. 163 ACTPN added that it<br />

supports the provisions throughout the chapter to settle disputes through consultation. 164<br />

In their respective reports, the Industry <strong>Trade</strong> Advisory Committee on Customs Matters and<br />

<strong>Trade</strong> Facilitation (ITAC 14) 165 and the Industry <strong>Trade</strong> Advisory Committee on Small and<br />

Minority Business (ITAC 11) also expressed support for the dispute-settlement procedures<br />

as outlined in this chapter. 166<br />

158 Ibid., 20–21.<br />

159 TEPAC, Advisory Committee Report, April 25, 2007, 10.<br />

160 Ibid.<br />

161 IGPAC, Advisory Committee Report, April 24, 2007, 12.<br />

162 Ibid., 20. IGPAC notes that California, under NAFTA Chapter 11, will be the state most frequently<br />

involved in such proceedings.<br />

163 ACTPN, Report, April 26, 2007, 5.<br />

164 Ibid., 9.<br />

165 ITAC (14) on Customs Matters and <strong>Trade</strong> Facilitation, Advisory Committee Report, April 18, 2007, 7.<br />

166 ITAC (11) on Small and Minority Business, Advisory Committee Report, April 26, 2007, 8.<br />

6-41

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