Dept. of Commerce Request for Comments on the Proposed Fair and Resilient Trade Pillar of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce published in the Federal Register (87 FR 13789) Request for Comments on the Proposed Fair and Resilient Trade Pillar of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

On October 27, 2021, President Biden announced that the United States would explore the development of an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to deepen economic relations in the Indo-Pacific region and coordinate approaches to addressing global economic challenges. The Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative will co-chair the U.S. team leading the IPEF negotiations. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will lead the IPEF's pillar on Fair and Resilient Trade, and the Department of Commerce will lead the IPEF's pillars on: (1) Supply Chain Resiliency; (2) Clean Energy, Decarbonization, and Infrastructure; and (3) Taxation and Anti-Corruption. Accordingly, USTR is seeking public comments on matters relevant to the Fair and Resilient Trade pillar, including U.S. interests and priorities, in order to develop U.S. negotiating objectives and positions and identify potential partners.

The deadline for the submission of written comments is April 11, 2022.