[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12117]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 18, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 

Request for Public Comments on Bilateral Textile Consultations 
with the Government of Oman on Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber 
Textile Products

May 12, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Notice.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Tallarico, International 
Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on categories for which 
consultations have been requested, call (202) 482-3740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended; 
section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
1854).

    On April 26, 1994, under the terms of Section 204 of the 
Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended, the Government of the United 
States requested consultations with the Government of Oman with respect 
to cotton and man-made fiber coats in Categories 334/634 (men's and 
boys') and Categories 335/635 (women's and girls'), produced or 
manufactured in Oman.
    The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that, if no 
solution is agreed upon in consultations with the Government of Oman, 
the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements may later 
establish limits for the entry and withdrawal from warehouse for 
consumption of cotton and man-made fiber textile products in Categories 
334/634 and 335/635, produced or manufactured in Oman and exported 
during the twelve-month period which began on April 26, 1994 and 
extends through April 25, 1995 at levels of not less than 116,189 dozen 
(Categories 334/634) and 164,651 dozen (Categories 335/635).
    Summary market statements concerning Categories 334/634 and 335/635 
follow this notice.
    Anyone wishing to comment or provide data or information regarding 
the treatment of Categories 334/634 and 335/635, or to comment on 
domestic production or availability of products included in Categories 
334/634 and 335/635, is invited to submit 10 copies of such comments or 
information to Rita D. Hayes, Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; ATTN: Helen L. LeGrande. The comments received 
will be considered in the context of the consultations with the 
Government of Oman.
    Because the exact timing of the consultations is not yet certain, 
comments should be submitted promptly. Comments or information 
submitted in response to this notice will be available for public 
inspection in the Office of Textiles and Apparel, room H3100, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC.
    Further comments may be invited regarding particular comments or 
information received from the public which the Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements considers appropriate for further 
consideration.
    The solicitation of comments regarding any aspect of the agreement 
or the implementation thereof is not a waiver in any respect of the 
exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) relating to matters which 
constitute ``a foreign affairs function of the United States.''
    The United States remains committed to finding a solution 
concerning Categories 334/634 and 335/635. Should such a solution be 
reached in consultations with the Government of Oman, further notice 
will be published in the Federal Register.
    A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS 
numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories 
with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal 
Register notice 58 FR 62645, published on November 29, 1993).
Rita D. Hayes,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Market Statement--Oman
Category 334/634--Men's and Boys' Cotton and Manmade Fiber Coats
April 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of men's and boys' cotton and manmade fiber coats, 
Category 334/634, from Oman reached 120,461 dozen during the year 
ending February 1994, more than eleven times the 10,868 dozen imported 
in the year ending February 1993. Imports from Oman were 10,635 dozen 
in 1992.
    The sharp and substantial increase in Category 334/634 imports from 
Oman is disrupting the U.S. market for men's and boys' cotton and 
manmade fiber coats.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of men's and boys' cotton and manmade fiber coats, 
Category 334/634, decreased from 5,380,000 dozen in 1987 to 4,016,000 
dozen in 1993, a decline of 25 percent. By contrast, U.S. imports of 
men's and boys' cotton and manmade fiber coats, Category 334/634, 
increased from 5,164,000 dozen in 1987 to 8,674,000 dozen in 1993, a 68 
percent increase.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production more than doubled, 
increasing from 96 percent in 1987 to 216 percent in 1993. The share of 
this market held by domestic manufacturers fell from 51 percent in 1987 
to 32 percent in 1993, a decline of 19 percentage points.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 82 percent of Category 334/634 imports from Oman 
during the year ending February 1994 entered under HTSUSA numbers 
6201.92.2051--men's woven cotton anoraks and windbreakers, other than 
down, water resistant, corduroy, blue denim, or padded sleeveless 
jackets; 6201.93.3000--men's and boys' woven manmade fiber water 
resistant anoraks, windbreakers and similar articles; and 
6211.33.0035--men's and boys' woven manmade fiber track suits, other 
than trousers. These coats entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values 
below U.S. producers' prices for comparable coats.

Market Statement--Oman
Category 335/635--Women's and Girls' Cotton and Manmade Fiber Coats
April 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of women's and girls' cotton and manmade fiber coats, 
Category 335/635, from Oman reached 168,528 dozen for the year ending 
February 1994, more than fourteen times the 11,901 dozen imported in 
the year ending February 1993. Imports from Oman were 12,224 dozen in 
1992.
    The sharp and substantial increase in Category 335/635 imports from 
Oman is disrupting the U.S. market for women's and girls' cotton and 
manmade fiber coats.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of women's and girls' cotton and manmade fiber 
coats, Category 335/635, declined from 6,724,000 dozen in 1987 to 
4,353,000 dozen in 1993, a decline of 35 percent. By contrast, U.S. 
imports of women's and girls' cotton and manmade fiber coats, Category 
335/635, increased from 6,923,000 dozen in 1987 to 9,888,000 dozen in 
1993, a 43 percent increase.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production more than doubled, 
increasing from 103 percent in 1987 to 227 percent in 1993. The share 
of this market held by domestic manufacturers fell from 49 percent in 
1987 to 31 percent in 1993, a decline of 18 percentage points.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 72 percent of Category 335/635 imports from Oman 
during the year ending February 1994 entered under HTSUSA numbers 
6102.30.2010--women's knitted manmade fiber anoraks, windbreakers, 
overcoats, and similar articles; 6202.93.4500--women's and girls' 
manmade fiber woven water resistant anoraks, windbreakers and similar 
articles; and 6211.43.0050--women's and girls' manmade fiber woven 
track suits, other than trousers. These coats entered the U.S. at 
landed duty-paid values below U.S. producers' prices for comparable 
coats.
[FR Doc. 94-12117 Filed 5-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F