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United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement |
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ANNEX 8A
SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES
Sector: Atomic Energy
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2011 et seq.
Description: Investment
A license issued by the United States Nuclear Regulatory
Commission is required for any person in the United States to transfer or receive in interstate commerce, manufacture, produce,
transfer, use, import or export any nuclear “utilization or production facilities” for commercial or industrial purposes. Such a license
may not be issued to any entity known or believed to be owned, controlled or dominated by an alien, a foreign corporation or a
foreign government (42 U.S.C. §§ 2133(d)). A license issued by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission is also required for nuclear "utilization and production facilities" for use in medical therapy or for research and development activities. The issuance of such a license to any entity known or believed to be owned,
controlled or dominated by an alien, a foreign corporation or a foreign government is also prohibited (42 U.S.C. § 2134(d)).
8A-United States-1
Sector: Business Services
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4) Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: Export Trading Company Act of 1982, 15 U.S.C. §§ 4011-4021
15 C.F.R. Part 325
Description: Cross-Border Services
Title III of the Export Trading Company Act of 1982 authorizes the
Secretary of Commerce to issue "certificates of review" with respect to export conduct. The Act provides for the issuance of a certificate of review where the Secretary determines, and the Attorney General concurs, that the export conduct specified in an
application will not have the anticompetitive effects proscribed by the Act. A certificate of review limits the liability under federal
and state antitrust laws in engaging in the export conduct certified.
Only a "person" as defined by the Act can apply for a certificate of review. "Person" means "an individual who is a resident of the United States; a partnership that is created under and exists pursuant
to the laws of any State or of the United States; a State or local government entity; a corporation, whether organized as a profit or nonprofit corporation, that is created under and exists pursuant to the laws of any State or of the United States; or any association or combination, by contract or other arrangement, between such persons."
A foreign national or enterprise may receive the protection provided by a certificate of review by becoming a "member" of a
qualified applicant. The regulations define "member" to mean "an entity (U.S. or foreign) that is seeking protection under the
certificate with the applicant. A member may be a partner in a partnership or a joint venture; a shareholder of a corporation; or a participant in an association, cooperative, or other form of profit or nonprofit organization or relationship, by contract or other arrangement."
8A-United States-2
Sector: Business Services
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4) Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, 50 U.S.C. app.
2401-2420.
International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-
1706.
Export Administration Regulations, 15 C.F.R. Parts 730 through
774.
Description: Cross-Border Services
With some limited exceptions, exports and reexports of
commodities, software and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations require a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce (BIS). Certain activities of U.S. persons, wherever located, also require a license from BIS. An application for a license must be made by a person in the United States.
In addition, release of controlled technology to a foreign national in the United States is deemed to be an export to the home country of
the foreign national and requires the same written authorization from
BIS as an export from the territory of the United States.
8A-United States-3
Sector: Mining
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920, 30 U.S.C. Chapter 3A
10 U.S.C. § 7435
Description: Investment
Under the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920, aliens and foreign
corporations may not acquire rights-of-way for oil or gas pipelines,
or pipelines carrying products refined from oil and gas, across on- shore federal lands or acquire leases or interests in certain minerals on on-shore federal lands, such as coal or oil. Non-U.S. citizens
may own a 100 percent interest in a domestic corporation that acquires a right-of-way for oil or gas pipelines across on-shore federal lands, or that acquires a lease to develop mineral resources on on-shore federal lands, unless the foreign investor's home
country denies similar or like privileges for the mineral or access in question to U.S. citizens or corporations, as compared with the privileges it accords to its own citizens or corporations or to the citizens or corporations of other countries (30 U.S.C. §§ 181,
185(a)).
Nationalization is not considered to be denial of similar or like privileges.
Foreign citizens, or corporations controlled by them, are restricted from obtaining access to federal leases on Naval Petroleum
Reserves if the laws, customs or regulations of their country deny the privilege of leasing public lands to citizens or corporations of the United States (10 U.S.C. § 7435).
8A-United States-4
Sector: All Sectors
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 22 U.S.C. §§ 2194 and 2198(c)
Description: Investment
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation insurance and loan
guarantees are not available to certain aliens, foreign enterprises or foreign-controlled domestic enterprises.
8A-United States-5
Sector: Air Transportation
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Senior Management and Boards of Directors (Article 15.9)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 49 U.S.C. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs
14 C.F. R. Part 297 (foreign air freight forwarders); 14 C.F.R. Part
380, Subpart E (registration of foreign (passenger) charter operators
Description: Investment
Only air carriers that are "citizens of the United States" may operate
aircraft in domestic air service (cabotage) and may provide international scheduled and non-scheduled air service as U.S. air carriers.
U.S. citizens also have blanket authority to engage in indirect air transportation activities (air freight forwarding and passenger charter activities other than as actual operators of the aircraft). In order to conduct such activities, non-U.S. citizens must obtain authority from the Department of Transportation. Applications for such authority may be rejected for reasons relating to the failure of effective reciprocity, or if the Department of Transportation finds that it is in the public interest to do so.
Under 49 U.S.C. § 40102(15), a "citizen of the United States"
means:
(a) an individual who is a U.S. citizen;
(b) a partnership in which each member is a U.S. citizen; or
(c) a U.S. corporation of which the president and at least two- thirds of the board of directors and other managing officers are U.S. citizens, and at least 75 percent of the voting
interest in the corporation is owned or controlled by U.S. citizens.
In addition, this statutory requirement has historically been interpreted by the Department of Transportation (and the Civil
8A-United States-6
Aeronautics Board before it) to require that an air carrier in fact be under the actual control of U.S. citizens. The Department of Transportation makes this determination on a case-by-case basis,
and has provided guidance as to certain lines of demarcation. For example, total foreign equity investment of up to 49 percent (with a maximum of 25 percent being voting stock), by itself, is not
construed as indicative of foreign control. See Department of
Transportation Order 91-1-41, January 23, 1991.
8A-United States-7
Sector: Air Transportation
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Senior Management and Boards of Directors (Article 5.9)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 49 U.S.C., Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs
49 U.S.C. § 41703
14 C.F.R. Part 375
As qualified by paragraph 2 of the Description element
Description: Cross-Border Services
required for the provision of specialty air services in the territory of the United States.*
Investment
Departme nt of Transportation to conduct specialty air services in the territory of the United States. "Foreign civil aircraft" are aircraft of foreign registry or aircraft of U.S. registry that are owned, controlled or operated by persons who are not citizens or
permanent residents of the United States (14 C.F.R. § 375.1). Under
49 U.S.C. § 40102(15), a "citizen of the United States" means:
(a) an individual who is a U.S. citizen;
(b) a partnership in which each member is a U.S. citizen; or
(c) a U.S. corporation of which the president and at least two- thirds of the board of directors and other managing officers are U.S. citizens, and at least seventy-five percent of the voting interest in the corporation is owned or controlled by U.S. citizens.
8A-United States-8
In addition, this statutory requirement has historically been interpreted by the Department of Transportation (and the Civil
Aeronautics Board before it) to require that an air carrier in fact be under the actual control of U.S. citizens. The Department of Transportation makes this determination on a case-by-case basis,
and has provided guidance as to certain lines of demarcation. For example, total foreign equity investment of up to 49 percent (with a maximum of 25 percent being voting stock), by itself, is not
construed as indicative of foreign control. See Department of
Transportation Order 91-1-41, January 23, 1991.
* A person of Singapore will be able to to obtain such an authorization given Singapore’s acceptance of the definition of specialty air in the Cross-Border Services Chapter.
8A-United States-9
Sector: Transportation Services - Customs Brokers
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4) Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 19 U.S.C. § 1641(b)
Description: Cross-Border Services and Investment
A customs broker's license is required to conduct customs business
on behalf of another person. Only U.S. citizens may obtain such a license. A corporation, association or partnership established
under the law of any state may receive a customs broker's license if
at least one officer of the corporation or association, or one member of the partnership, holds a valid customs broker's license.
8A-United States-10
Sector: All Sectors
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: Securities Act of 1933, 15 U.S.C. §§ 77C(b), 77f, 77g, 77h, 77j and
77s(a)
17 C.F.R. §§ 230.251 and 230.405
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78l, 78m, 78o(d)
and 78w(a)
17 C.F.R. § 240.12b-2
Description: Investment
Foreign firms, except for certain Canadian issuers, may not use the
small business registration forms under the Securities Act of 1933 to register public offerings of securities or the small business registration forms under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to register a class of securities or file annual reports.
8A-United States-11
Sector: Communications - Radiocommunications
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 47 U.S.C. § 310
Foreign Participation Order 12 FCC Red 23841 (1997)
Description: Investment
The United States reserves the right to restrict ownership of radio
licenses in accordance with the above statutory and regulatory provisions. Radiocommunications consists of all communications by radio, including broadcasting.
8A-United States-12
Sector: Professional Services - Patent Attorneys, Patent Agents, and Other
Practice before the Patent and Trademark Office
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Level of Government: Central
Measures: 35 U.S.C. Chapter 3 (practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office)
37 C.F.R. Part 10 (representation of others before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
Description: Cross-Border Services
As a condition to be registered to practice for others before the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):
(a) a patent attorney must be a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully residing in the United States (37 C.F.R. § 10.6(a));
(b) a patent agent must be a U.S. citizen, an alien lawfully residing in the United States or a non-resident who is registered to practice in a country that permits patent agents registered to practice before the USPTO to practice in that country ; the latter is permitted to practice for the limited purpose of presenting and prosecuting patent applications of applicants located in the country in which he or she resides
(37 C.F.R. § 10.6(c)); and
(c) a practitioner in trademark and non-patent cases must be an attorney licensed in the United States, a "grandfathered" agent, an attorney licensed to practice in a country that accords equivalent treatment to attorneys licensed in the United States, or an agent registered to practice in such a country; the latter two are permitted to practice for the limited purpose of representing parties located in the
country in which he or she resides (37 C.F.R. § 10.14(a)-
(c)).
8A-United States-13
Sector: All Sectors
Obligations Concerned: National Treatment (Articles 8.3 and 15.4)
Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Local Presence (Article 8.6)
Performance Requirements (Article 15.8)
Senior Management and Boards of Directors (Article 15.9)
Level of Government: Regional
Measures: All existing non-conforming measures of all states of the United
States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
Description: Investment and Cross-Border Services
8A-United States-14
Sector: All
Obligations Concerned: Market Access (Article 8.5)
Description: Investment and Cross-Border Services
The United States reserves the right to adopt or maintain any
measure that is not inconsistent with the United States’ obligations under Article XVI of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
8A-United States-15
Sector: All
Obligations Concerned: Most-Favored-Nation Treatment (Articles 8.4 and 15.4)
Description: Investment and Cross-Border Services
The United States reserves the right to adopt or maintain any
measure that accords differential treatment to countries under any bilateral or multilateral international agreeme nt in force or signed prior to the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
The United States reserves the right to adopt or maintain any measure that accords differential treatment to countries under any
international agreement in force or signed after the date of entry into force of this Agreement involving:
(a) aviation;
(b) fisheries; or
(c) maritime matters, including salvage.
8A-United States-16