[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11315-11316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4433]


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

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-427]


U.S. Market Conditions for Certain Wool Articles

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation, scheduling of public hearing, and 
request for public comments.

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 12, 2001.
SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request from the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) on January 22, 2001, the Commission instituted 
Investigation No. 332-427, U.S. Market Conditions for Certain Wool 
Articles, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 
1332(g)) to monitor U.S. market conditions for certain wool articles.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact Kim 
Freund (202-708-5402; [email protected]) of the Office of Industries; 
for information on legal aspects, contact William Gearhart (202-205-
3091; [email protected]) of the Office of the General Counsel. The 
media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer (202-
205-1819). Hearing impaired individuals may obtain information on this 
matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. 
Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in 
gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information about the Commission may 
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).

Background

    As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide information 
on U.S. market conditions, including domestic demand, domestic supply, 
and domestic production for men's and boys' worsted wool suits, suit-
type jackets, and trousers; worsted wool fabric and yarn used in the 
manufacture of such clothing; and wool fibers used in the manufacture 
of such fabrics and yarn. Also as requested by the USTR, the Commission 
will provide, to the extent possible, data on:
    (1) Increases or decreases in sales and production of the subject 
domestically-produced worsted wool fabrics;
    (2) Increases or decreases in domestic production and consumption 
of the subject apparel items;
    (3) The ability of domestic producers of the subject worsted wool 
fabrics to meet the needs of domestic manufacturers of the subject 
apparel items in terms of quantity and ability to meet market demands 
for the apparel items;
    (4) Sales of the subject worsted wool fabrics lost by domestic 
manufacturers to imports benefiting from the temporary duty reductions 
on certain worsted wool fabrics under the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) 
provided for in headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS);
    (5) Loss of sales by domestic manufacturers of the subject apparel 
items related to the inability to purchase adequate supplies of the 
subject worsted wool fabrics on a cost competitive basis; and
    (6) The price per square meter of imports and domestic sales of the 
subject worsted wool fabrics.
    The USTR requested that the Commission submit two ``annual 
reports'' and an ``interim letter'' under this investigation. The first 
annual report, providing data for 1999, 2000, and year-to-date 2000-01, 
was requested by September 17, 2001, and the second annual report, 
providing data for 2001 and year-to-date 2001-02, was requested by 
September 16, 2002. In the interim, the USTR requested that the 
Commission provide by letter (interim letter) the most comprehensive 
information available on the factors described above for the period 
from January 1, 1999, to the present. The Commission was requested to 
submit this interim letter to USTR within 45 days after the U.S. 
Department of Commerce publishes a notice in the Federal Register 
soliciting requests from U.S. manufacturers of men's and boys' worsted 
wool suits, suit-type jackets, and trousers to modify the limitations 
on the quantity of imports of worsted wool fabrics under the TRQs 
provided for in HTS headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12.USTR requested 
that the Commission issue public versions of the interim letter and the 
two annual reports, as soon as possible thereafter, with any business 
confidential information deleted.
    In the request letter, the USTR referred to Title V of the Trade 
and Development Act of 2000 (the Act),

[[Page 11316]]

which was enacted on May 18, 2000, and implemented by Presidential 
Proclamation 7383 of December 1, 2000. Title V of the Act temporarily 
reduces tariffs and establishes TRQs on imports of certain worsted wool 
fabrics. The fabrics concerned are described in HTS headings 9902.51.11 
and 9902.51.12--namely, worsted wool fabrics certified by the importer 
as suitable for use in men's or boys' suits, suit-type jackets, and 
trousers. The Act authorizes the President to modify the TRQ limits 
provided for in HTS headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12, which will be 
in effect for 3 years beginning on January 1, 2001, subject to his 
consideration of certain U.S. market conditions. In the request letter, 
the USTR noted that, under section 504 of the Act, the President is 
required to monitor U.S. market conditions, including domestic demand, 
domestic supply, and increases in domestic production for men's and 
boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets, and trousers; worsted wool 
fabric and yarn used in the manufacture of such clothing; and wool 
fibers used in the manufacture of such fabrics and yarn. In 
Proclamation 7383, the President delegated the authority to modify the 
TRQ limits to the Secretary of Commerce, and delegated to USTR the 
authority to monitor these market conditions.

Public Hearing

    A public hearing in connection with preparation of the first annual 
report, as identified above, will be held at the U.S. International 
Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC, beginning 
at 9:30 a.m. on May 31, 2001. The Commission has not scheduled any 
other public hearing in connection with this investigation at this 
time. All persons shall have the right to appear, by counsel or in 
person, to present information and to be heard. Requests to appear at 
the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary, United States 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436, 
no later than 5:15 p.m., May 17, 2001. Any prehearing briefs (original 
and 14 copies) should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., May 21, 2001. 
The deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or statements is 5:15 p.m., 
June 7, 2001. In the event that, as of the close of business on May 17, 
2001, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing 
will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an 
observer or non-participant may call the Secretary of the Commission 
(202-205-1806) after May 17, 2001, to determine whether the hearing 
will be held.

Written Submissions

    In connection with preparation of the interim letter for USTR, 
interested parties are invited to submit written statements (original 
and 14 copies) concerning the matters to be addressed by the 
Commission. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
statements in connection with the interim letter should be submitted to 
the Commission at the earliest practical date and should be received no 
later than the close of business on March 7, 2001. Regarding the first 
annual report, in lieu of or in addition to participating in the above-
referenced hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written 
statements (original and 14 copies) concerning the matters to be 
addressed by the Commission by no later than the close of business on 
June 7, 2001.
    Commercial or financial information that a person desires the 
Commission to treat as confidential must be submitted on separate 
sheets of paper, each marked ``Confidential Business Information'' at 
the top. All submissions requesting confidential treatment must conform 
with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). The Commission's Rules do not 
authorize filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or 
electronic means. All written submissions, except for confidential 
business information, will be made available in the Office of the 
Secretary of the Commission for inspection by interested parties. The 
Commission may include confidential business information submitted in 
the course of this investigation in its reports to the USTR. In the 
public version of these reports, however, the Commission will not 
publish confidential business information in a manner that would reveal 
the individual operations of the firm supplying the information. All 
submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436.

List of Subjects

    Tariffs, imports, wool, fabric, and suits.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 13, 2001.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-4433 Filed 2-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P