Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements August 6, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On February 26, 2008, CITA published in the Federal Register a request for public comment on a commercial availability petition from Gentry Mills that there be a modification to the rules of origin for a certain viscose/polyester blended yarn (73 FR 10227). No public comments were received alleging that viscose rayon fiber could be supplied in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Subsequently, the United States requested consultations with the Government of Australia on its proposal to modify the rule of origin for 5510.90.2000 to allow the use of non-U.S. and non-Australian viscose rayon fiber. In those consultations, the Government of Australia proposed expanding the scope of the U.S. proposal for a modification to the rule of origin. The Government of Australia proposes that the modification to the rule of origin be applied to all yarns of subheading 5510.90 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). The President may proclaim a modification to the USAFTA rules of origin for textile and apparel products after reaching an agreement with the Government of Australia on the modification. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this proposal to expand the scope of the rule of origin modification to all yarns in HTSUS subheading 5510.90 to allow the use of non-U.S. and non-Australian viscose rayon fiber. Comments must be submitted by September 5, 2008 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.