Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements May 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

CITA has determined that certain colored, open-end spun yarns, ranging in size from 6/1 to 18/1 English count (10.16/1 to 30.47/1 metric) of a blend of reclaimed and reprocessed cotton and not less than 35 percent nor more than 49 percent by weight of Outlast licensed phase change acrylic staple fibers, produced under license from Outlast, classified in subheadings 5206.11.00.00 and 5206.12.00.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), for use in chief weight cotton sweaters, cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner under the CBTPA. CITA hereby designates chief weight cotton sweaters, made from knit fabrics formed in the United States or an eligible beneficiary CBTPA country from such yarns, that are both cut and sewn or otherwise assembled in one or more eligible CBTPA beneficiary country as eligible to enter free of quotas and duties under HTSUS subheading 9820.11.27, provided all other yarns used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed and all other fabrics used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed from yarns wholly formed in the United States.

On May 18, 2005 the Chairman of CITA received a petition from Columbia Sportswear Company alleging that certain woven bamboo/cotton fabric, of specifications detailed below, classified in subheading 5516.42.0022 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. The petition requests that apparel articles of such fabrics be eligible for preferential treatment under the AGOA and the CBTPA. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether such fabrics can be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by June 9, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20230.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has determined that certain textile and apparel goods from Senegal shall be treated as ``hand-loomed, handmade, or folklore articles'' and qualify for preferential treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Imports of eligible products from Senegal with an appropriate visa will qualify for duty-free treatment.

CITA has determined that certain ring spun single yarns of English yarn number 30 and higher of 0.9 denier or finer micro modal fibers, classified in subheading 5510.11.0000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), for use in women's and girls' knit apparel articles, cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner under the AGOA, the ATPDEA, and the CBTPA. CITA hereby designates such apparel articles that are both cut and sewn or otherwise assembled in one or more eligible beneficiary sub Saharan African country or in one or more eligible CBTPA beneficiary country from U.S. formed fabrics containing such yarns as eligible to enter free of quotas and duties under HTSUS subheading 9819.11.24 or 9820.11.27, provided all other yarns used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed and all other fabrics used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed from yarns wholly formed in the United States. CITA also hereby designates such yarns as eligible under HTSUS subheading 9821.11.10, if used in women's and girls' knit apparel articles sewn or otherwise assembled in an eligible ATPDEA beneficiary country from U.S. formed fabric containing such yarns; such apparel containing such yarns shall be eligible to enter free of quotas and duties under this subheading, provided all other yarns used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed and all other fabrics used in the referenced apparel articles are U.S. formed from yarns wholly formed in the United States. CITA notes that this designation under the ATPDEA renders women's and girls' knit apparel articles sewn or otherwise assembled in an eligible ATPDEA beneficiary country containing such yarn as eligible for quota-free and duty-free treatment under HTSUS subheading 9821.11.13, provided the requirements of that subheading are met.

The Committee has resumed consideration of twelve requests for safeguard action that were received from certain textile and apparel trade associations in October, November and December, 2004. The Requestors asked the Committee to limit imports from China of twelve textile and apparel products in accordance with the textile and apparel safeguard provision in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement). Although the Committee decided to consider these requests, and solicited public comments, the Court of International Trade preliminarily enjoined CITA from taking any further action on the requests on December 30, 2004. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit stayed the injunction on April 27, 2005. The Committee is not soliciting any further public comment with respect to those requests where the public comment period closed before the court issued its injunction. With respect to the remaining requests, the Committee hereby solicits public comments during a period beginning the day following publication of this notice in the Federal Register and encompassing the number of days remaining in the original comment period when the court issued its injunction.

On April 6, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of man-made fiber knit shirts and blouses (Category 638/639). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be taken on imports of such man-made fiber knit shirts and blouses. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such man-made fiber knit shirts and blouses are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by June 3, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

On April 6, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of cotton and man-made fiber dressing gowns and robes (Category 350/650). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be taken on imports of such dressing gowns and robes. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such dressing gowns and robes are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by June 3, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

On April 6, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of cotton and man-made fiber sweaters (Category 345/645/646). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be taken on imports of such sweaters. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such sweaters are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by June 3, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.