[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2081-2082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-304]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


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

December 30, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on categories on 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 November 28, 1994, under the terms of the Bilateral Textile 
Agreement of September 3, 1991, as amended and extended, between the 
Governments of the United States and Thailand, the United States 
Government requested consultations with the Government of Thailand with 
respect to Categories 352/652 (underwear), Category 603 (staple fiber 
yarn) and Category 670-L (luggage).
    The purpose of this notice is to advise the public the request to 
consult was based on year ending August 1994 trade of 1,505,169 dozen 
for Categories 352/652; 792,415 kilograms for Category 603; and 
19,929,610 kilograms for Category 670-L.
    Summary market statements concerning Categories 352/652, 603 and 
670-L follow this notice.
    Anyone wishing to comment or provide data or information regarding 
the treatment of Categories 352/652, 603 and 670-L, under the agreement 
with the Government of Thailand, or to comment on domestic production 
or availability of products included in the categories, 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 Thailand.
    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 bilateral 
textile agreement or any other appropriate agreement between the 
Governments of the United States and Thailand 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 352/652, 603 and 670-L. Should such a solution be 
reached in consultations with the Government of Thailand, 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--Thailand
Category 352/652--Cotton and Manmade Fiber Underwear
October 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of cotton and manmade fiber underwear, Category 352/
652, from Thailand reached 1,505,169 dozen for the year ending August 
1994, 27 percent above the 1,183,686 dozen imported in the year ending 
August 1993. During the first eight months of 1994, imports from 
Thailand were 989,385 dozen, 23 percent above their January-August 1993 
level.
    The sharp and substantial increase in Category 352/652 imports from 
Thailand is causing a real risk of disruption in the U.S. market for 
cotton and manmade fiber underwear.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of cotton and manmade fiber underwear, Category 
[[Page 2082]] 352/652, declined from 175,542,000 dozen in 1992 to 
168,802,000 dozen in 1993, a decline of 4 percent. Production continued 
to decline in 1994, falling to 81,713,000 dozen in the first half for 
1994, 8 percent below the January-June 1993 production level.
    In contrast, U.S. imports of cotton and manmade fiber underwear 
increased from 65,507,000 dozen in 1992 to 79,962,000 dozen in 1993, a 
22 percent increase. Category 352/652 imports continued to increase in 
1994, reaching 59,204,000 dozen in the first eight months of 1994, 12 
percent above the January-August 1993 import level.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production increased from 37 
percent in 1992 to 47 percent in 1993, and reached 51 percent during 
the first half of 1994. The share of this market held by domestic 
manufacturers fell from 73 percent in 1992 to 68 percent in 1993, a 
decline of five percentage points, and fell to 66 percent during the 
first half 1994.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 71 percent of Category 352/652 imports from Thailand 
during the year ending August 1994 entered under HTSUSA numbers 
6107.11.0010--men's knitted cotton underpants and briefs; 
6108.21.0010--women's knitted cotton briefs and panties; and 
6207.11.0000--men's and boys' woven cotton underpants and briefs. This 
underwear entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values below U.S. 
producers' prices for comparable underwear.

Market Statement--Thailand
 Category 603--85 Percent or More Artificial Staple Fiber Yarn
October 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of Category 603, 85 percent or more artificial staple 
fiber yarn, from Thailand reached 792,415 kilograms for the year ending 
August 1994, more than double the 368,987 kilograms imported in the 
year ending August 1993. During the first eight months of 1994, imports 
from Thailand were 683,140 kilograms, two and half times their January-
August 1993 level, and 84 percent above their calendar year 1993 level.
    The sharp and substantial increase in Category 603 imports from 
Thailand is causing a real risk of disruption in the U.S. market for 85 
percent or more artificial staple fiber yarn.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of 85 percent or more artificial staple fiber yarn, 
Category 603, declined from 36,694,000 kilograms in 1991 to 30,964,000 
kilograms in 1993, a 16 percent decrease. By contrast, U.S. imports of 
Category 603, nearly tripled increasing from 3,638,000 kilograms in 
1991 to 9,886,000 kilograms in 1993. Imports continued to increase in 
1994 reaching 7,714,000 kilograms in the first eight months, 24 percent 
above the January-August 1993 level.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production more than tripled, 
increasing from 10 percent in 1991 to 32 percent in 1993. The share of 
this market held by domestic manufacturers fell from 91 percent in 1991 
to 76 percent in 1993, a decline of 15 percentage points.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    All of Category 603 imports from Thailand during 1994 entered under 
HTSUSA numbers 5510.11.0000--single artificial fiber staple yarn; and 
5510.12.0000--multiple artificial fiber staple yarn. These yarns 
entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values below U.S. producers' 
prices and below the landed duty-paid values of other major foreign 
suppliers to the U.S. market for comparable yarn.

Market Statement--Thailand
Category 670-L--Manmade Fiber Luggage
October 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of Category 670-L, manmade fiber luggage, from 
Thailand reached 19.9 million kilograms for the year ending August 
1994, 41 percent above the 14.1 million kilograms imported a year 
earlier. During the first eight months of 1994, imports from Thailand 
were 13.3 million kilograms, 44 percent above their January-August 1993 
level. During the year ending August 1994, Thailand became the largest 
supplier of manmade fiber luggage to the U.S., accounting for 24 
percent of total Category 670-L imports. A year earlier, Thailand was 
the third largest supplier, accounting for 18 percent of total Category 
670-L imports.
    The sharp and substantial increase in Category 670-L imports from 
Thailand is causing a real risk of market disruption in the U.S. market 
for manmade fiber luggage.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration and Market Share
    U.S. production of manmade fiber luggage, Category 670-L, measured 
in kilograms of fabric consumed in the production of luggage, declined 
every year since 1989 except for 1992, when production increased 1 
percent. Production in 1993 declined 3 percent from the 1992 level and 
was 10 percent below the 1989 level. In contrast, Category 670-L 
luggage imports, measured in kilograms of fabric content, increased 
every year since 1989 except in 1991, when imports decreased 3 percent 
from the 1990 level. However, imports of category 670-L increased 16 
percent from 1991 to 1993 and are up 10 percent for the first eight 
months of 1994 when compared to the January-August 1993 level.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production in Category 670-L 
luggage increased to 250 percent in 1993 from 195 percent in 1989. The 
domestic manufacturers' share of this market fell from 34 percent in 
1989 to 29 percent in 1993, a decline of 5 percentage points.
Duty-Paid Values and U.S. Producers' Prices
    Approximately 94 percent of Category 670-L imports from Thailand 
during 1994 entered the U.S. under HTSUSA numbers 4202.12.8070--
suitcases and similar containers of manmade fiber, and 4202.92.3030--
travel bags and similar bags of manmade fiber. The prices of these 
imports of luggage from Thailand are lower than the prices of 
comparable U.S. produced luggage.
[FR Doc. 95-304 Filed 1-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F