(a) The Trade Staff Committee and the Trade Information Committee, established by regulations appearing at 36 FR 23620, December 11, 1971 (15 CFR 2002.2, and 2002.3, respectively) are abolished and there is hereby established as a subordinate body of the Trade Policy Committee and the Trade Policy Review Group the Trade Policy Staff Committee (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”). The Committee consists of a chairman designated by the Special Representative from his Office, and of senior trade policy staff officials designated from their respective agencies or offices by the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Labor, State, and Treasury, by the Executive Director of the Council on International Economic Policy,” so that the sentence reads: The Committee consists of a chairman designated by the Special Representative from his Office, and of senior trade policy staff officials designated from their respective agencies or offices by the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Labor, State, and Treasury, by the Executive Director of the Council on International Economic Policy, and by the Chairman of the International Trade Commission. Each Secretary or head of an agency or office and the Chairman of the Commission may designate from his respective agency officials to serve as alternate members of the Committee in the event the regular member is unable to attend any meeting of the Committee. The Special Representative may from time to time designate officials from his agency other than the chairman, to serve as acting chairmen of the Committee. The representative of the International Trade Commission shall be a nonvoting member of the Committee.

(b) The Committee performs the following functions unless such functions are assigned to a different body by the Special Representative or his designee:

(1) Monitors the trade agreements programs, reviews the information received pursuant to paragraphs (b) (2) through (8) of this section, and transmits summaries of such information together with recommendations of action to the Special Representative, or through him to the Trade Policy Review Group or the Trade Policy Committee, concerning the trade agreements program and related matters, or when appropriate approves such policies and actions.

(2) Obtains information and advice from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Labor, State and the Treasury, from the Office of the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations, and from such other sources as the Special Representative, a Deputy Special Representative, or the Chairman of the Committee may deem appropriate concerning any proposed trade agreement and other aspects of the trade agreements program and related matters, and concerning the Generalized System of Preferences in accordance with Title V of the Trade Act;

(3) Provides an opportunity, by the holding of public hearing and by such other means as the Special Representative, the Deputy Special Representative or the Chairman of the Committee deems appropriate, for interested persons to present their views concerning any article on a list published pursuant to section 131 of the Trade Act, any article which should be so listed, any concession which should be sought by the United States, or any other matter relevant to a proposed trade agreement;

(4) Provides an opportunity, by the holding of public hearings and by such other means as the Special Representative, a Deputy Special Representative, or the Chairman of the Committee deems appropriate, for any interested party to present by oral or written statement his views concerning articles being considered for designation as eligible articles for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences;

(5) [Reserved]

(6) Provides an opportunity where deemed appropriate by the Special Representative, the Deputy Special Representative, or the Chairman, by the holding of public hearings upon request by an interested party, and by such other means as the Special Representative, the Deputy Special Representative or the Chairman deems appropriate, for any interested party to present an oral or written statement concerning any other aspect of the trade agreements program and related matters;

(7) Reviews all materials required to be furnished by the International Trade Commission to the President through the Special Representative, and transmits such materials, together, where appropriate with recommendations of action with respect thereto, to the Special Representative or a Deputy Special Representative.

(8) Reviews reports of hearings and reviews conducted by the section 301 Committee provided for in §2002.3 and recommendations resulting therefrom, and makes recommendations to the Special Representative with respect thereto.

(9) When circumstances warrant, terminates section 301 reviews provided for in §2002.3

(10) Receives and reviews requests pertaining to the duty-free treatment accorded to articles under the Generalized System of Preferences, and handles such requests and reviews in accordance with Part 2007 of these regulations;

(11) Issues regulations governing the conduct of its public hearings and the performance of such of its other functions as it deems necessary;

(12) Performs such other functions as the Special Representative or the Deputy Special Representative may from time to time direct.

[40 FR 18420, Apr. 28, 1975, as amended at 40 FR 39497, Aug. 28, 1975; 40 FR 60042, Dec. 31, 1975; 42 FR 55611, Oct. 18, 1977]