[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17149-17150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7515]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Notice of Solicitation of Requests for Modification of Tariff 
Rate Quotas on the Import of Certain Worsted Wool Fabrics.

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

ACTION: The Department of Commerce is soliciting requests for the 
modification of the limitations on the quantity of imports of certain 
worsted wool fabric under the 2001 tariff rate quotas established by 
the Trade and Development Act of 2000.

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ADDRESSES: Requests must be submitted to: Industry Assessment Division, 
Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 3100, United States Department of 
Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sergio Botero, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4058.
    The Department of Commerce (Department) hereby solicits requests 
for the modification of the limitations on the quantity of imports of 
certain worsted wool fabric under the 2001 tariff rate quotas 
established by the Trade and Development Act of 2000. To be considered, 
a request must be received or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on April 13, 2001 
and must comply with the requirement of 15 C.F.R. 340 (66 FR 6459, 
published January 22, 2001). If a request is received, the Department 
will solicit comments on the request in the Federal Register and 
provide a twenty day comment period. Thirty days after the end of the 
comment period, the Department will determine whether the limitations 
should be modified.

BACKGROUND: Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (the Act) 
creates two tariff rate quotas, providing for temporary reductions in 
the import duties on two categories of worsted wool fabrics suitable 
for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, or trousers. For worsted 
wool fabric with average fiber diameters greater than 18.5 microns (new 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) heading 
9902.51.11), the reduction in duty is limited to 2,500,000 square meter 
equivalents per year. For worsted wool fabric with average fiber 
diameters of 18.5 microns or less (new HTS heading 9902.51.12), the 
reduction is limited to 1,500,000 square meter equivalents per year. 
Both these limitations may be modified by the President, not to exceed 
1,000,000 square meter equivalents per year for each tariff rate quota.
    The Act requires the annual consideration of requests by U.S. 
manufacturers of men's or boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets 
and trousers for modification of the limitation on the quantity of 
fabric that may be imported under the tariff rate quotas, and grants 
the President the authority to proclaim modifications to the 
limitations. In determining whether to modify the limitations, 
specified U.S. market conditions with respect to worsted wool fabric 
and worsted wool apparel must be considered. On January 22, the 
Department published regulations establishing procedures for 
considering requests for modification of the limitations. 66 FR 6459, 
15 CFR 340.
    To be considered, requests must be submitted by a manufacturer of 
men's or boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets, and trousers in 
the United States and must comply with the requirements of 15 CFR 340.
    A request must include: (1) The name, address, telephone number, 
fax number, and Internal Revenue Service number of the requester; (2) 
The relevant worsted wool apparel product(s) manufactured by the 
person(s), that is, worsted wool suits, worsted wool suit-type jackets, 
or worsted wool trousers; (3) The modification requested, including the 
amount of the modification and the limitation that is the subject of 
the request (HTS heading 9902.51.11 and/or 9902.51.12); and (4) A 
statement of the basis for the request, including all relevant facts 
and circumstances.
    A request should include the following information for each 
limitation that is the subject of the request, to the extent available: 
(1) A list of suppliers from which the requester purchased domestically 
produced worsted wool fabric during the 12 months preceding the 
request, the dates of such purchases, the quantity purchased, the 
quantity of imported worsted wool fabric purchased, the countries of 
origin of the imported worsted wool fabric purchased, the average price 
paid per square meter of the domestically produced worsted wool fabric 
purchased, and the average price paid per square meter of the imported 
worsted wool fabric purchased; (2) A list of domestic worsted wool 
fabric producers that declined, on request, to sell worsted wool fabric 
to the requester during the 12 months preceding the request, indicating 
the product requested, the date of the order, the price quoted, and the 
reason for the refusal; (3) The requester's domestic production and 
sales for the most recent six month period for which such data is 
available and the comparable six month period in the previous year, for 
each of the following products: Worsted wool suits, worsted wool suit-
type jackets, and worsted wool trousers; (4) Evidence that the 
requester lost production or sales due to an inadequate supply of 
domestically-produced worsted wool fabric on a cost competitive basis, 
and (5) Other evidence of the inability of domestic producers of 
worsted wool fabric to supply domestically produced worsted wool fabric 
to the requester.
    Requests must be accompanied by a statement by the person 
submitting the request (if a natural person), or an employee, officer 
or agent of the legal entity submitting the request, with personal 
knowledge of the matters set forth therein, certifying that the 
information is complete and accurate, signed and sworn before a Notary

[[Page 17150]]

Public, and acknowledging that false representations to a federal 
agency may result in criminal penalties under federal law.
    Any business confidential information provided that is marked 
business confidential will be kept confidential and protected from 
disclosure to the full extent permitted by law. To the extent business 
confidential information is provided, a non-confidential submission 
should also be provided, in which business confidential information is 
summarized or, if necessary, deleted.

    Dated: March 6, 2001.
Donald L. Evans,
Secretary, United States Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 01-7515 Filed 3-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-M