[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 48 (Monday, March 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14358-14359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6177]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Request for Public Comment on Short Supply Petition Under the 
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

March 8, 2001.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Request for public comments concerning a petition for a 
modification of the NAFTA rules of origin for products made from yarn 
of camel hair and yarn of cashmere.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.
SUMMARY: On February 28, 2001 the Chairman of CITA received a petition 
from Amicale Industries, Inc. alleging that yarn of cashmere and yarn 
of camel hair, classified in heading 5108.10.60 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), cannot be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner and 
requesting that the President proclaim a modification of the NAFTA 
rules of origin. Such a proclamation may be made only after reaching 
agreement with the other NAFTA countries on the modification. CITA 
hereby solicits public comments on this petition, in particular with 
regard to whether cashmere and camel hair yarn can be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments 
must be submitted by April 11, 2001 to the Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States 
Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended (7 USC 1854); Section 202(q) of the North American Free 
Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 USC 3332(q)); Executive Order 
11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended.

BACKGROUND: Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 
NAFTA countries are required to eliminate customs duties on textile and 
apparel goods that qualify as originating goods under the NAFTA rules 
of origin, which are set out in Annex 401 to the NAFTA. The NAFTA 
provides that the rules of origin for textile and apparel products may 
be amended through a subsequent

[[Page 14359]]

agreement by the NAFTA countries. In consultations regarding such a 
change, the NAFTA countries are to consider issues of availability of 
supply of fibers, yarns, or fabrics in the free trade area and whether 
domestic producers are capable of supplying commercial quantities of 
the good in a timely manner. The Statement of Administrative Action 
(SAA) that accompanied the NAFTA Implementation Act stated that any 
interested person may submit to CITA a request for a modification to a 
particular rule of origin based on a change in the availability in 
North America of a particular fiber, yarn or fabric and that the 
requesting party would bear the burden of demonstrating that a change 
is warranted. The SAA provides that CITA may make a recommendation to 
the President regarding a change to a rule of origin for a textile or 
apparel good. The NAFTA Implementation Act provides the President with 
the authority to proclaim modifications to the NAFTA rules of origin as 
are necessary to implement an agreement with one or more NAFTA country 
on such a modification.
    On February 28, 2001 the Chairman of CITA received a petition from 
Amicale Industries, Inc. alleging that yarn of cashmere and yarn of 
camel hair, classified in HTSUS heading 5108.10.60, cannot be supplied 
by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner 
and requesting that the President proclaim a modification of the NAFTA 
rules of origin. Amicale Industries requests that the NAFTA rules of 
origin for fabrics of HTSUS heading 5111 and for woven apparel of 
Chapter 62 be modified to permit the use of non-North American yarns of 
camel hair or yarns of cashmere classified in HTS heading 5108.10.60.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether yarn of cashmere and yarn of camel 
hair, classified in HTSUS heading 5108.10.60, can be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Also 
relevant are whether there has been a change in availability and 
whether other products that are supplied by the domestic industry in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner are substitutable for the yarn 
for purposes of the intended use. Comments must be received no later 
than April 11, 2001. Interested persons are invited to submit six 
copies of such comments or information to the Chairman, Committee for 
the Implementation of Textile Agreements, room 3100, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.
    If a comment alleges that yarn of cashmere or yarn of camel hair 
can be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner, CITA will closely review any supporting documentation, 
such as a signed statement by a manufacturer of the yarn stating that 
it produces the yarn that is in the subject of the request, including 
the quantities that can be supplied and the time necessary to fill an 
order, as well as any relevant information regarding past production.
    CITA will protect any business confidential information that is 
marked business confidential from disclosure to the full extent 
permitted by law. CITA will make available to the public non-
confidential versions of the request and non-confidential versions of 
any public comments received with respect to a request in room 3100 in 
the Herbert Hoover Building, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20230. Persons submitting comments on a request are 
encouraged, to include a non-confidential version and a non-
confidential summary.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 01-6177 Filed 3-8-01; 3:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F