[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47910-47911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23062]


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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: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

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 2002 tariff rate quotas established by 
the Trade and Development Act of 2000.

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SUMMARY: 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 2002 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 
October 1, 2001 and must comply with the requirement of 15 CFR part 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.

ADDRESS: Requests must be submitted to: Industry Assessment Division, 
Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, D.C. 20230. Six copies of any such requests must be 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sergio Botero, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4058.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (the Act) creates 
two tariff rate quotas, providing for temporary reductions for three 
years 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 (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 (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 that 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, 2001, the 
Department published regulations establishing procedures for 
considering requests for modification of the limitations, 66 FR 6459, 
15 CFR part 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 part 
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 period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 
2001, the dates of such purchases, the quantity purchased, the quantity 
of imported

[[Page 47911]]

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 period July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001, 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 
period January 1, 2001 to June 30, 2001 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 or comments (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 contained therein is complete and accurate, signed 
and sworn before a Notary 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: September 7, 2001.
Linda M. Conlin,
Assistant Secretary for Trade Development, Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc.01-23062 Filed 9-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S