[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 9 (Monday, January 14, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1784-1785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-889]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-427]


U.S. Market Conditions for Certain Wool Articles

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of second annual report, scheduling of public hearing, 
and request for public comments.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 7, 2002.
SUMMARY: The Commission has announced the schedule for its second 
annual report in investigation No. 332-427, U.S. Market Conditions for 
Certain Wool Articles, instituted under section 332(g) of the Tariff 
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) on February 12, 2001, at the request of 
the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact Lisa 
Ferens (202-205-3486; [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 
for 2001 and year-to-date 2001-02 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 
fabrics 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 its second (and final) annual report under this investigation by 
September 16, 2002. The USTR has stated that it will provide copies of 
the Commission's confidential reports to the U.S. Department of 
Commerce. The USTR requested that the Commission issue a public version 
of the annual report, as soon as possible thereafter, with any business 
confidential information deleted. The Commission submitted its first 
annual report to the USTR on September 17, 2001.

Public Hearing:

    A public hearing in connection with preparation of the second 
annual report will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
April 18, 2002. 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., April 2, 2002. Any prehearing briefs 
(original and 14 copies) should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., 
April 4, 2002. The deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or 
statements is 5:15 p.m., April 29, 2002. In the event that, as of the 
close of business on April 2, 2002, 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 April 2, 
2002, to determine whether the hearing will be held.

Written Submissions:

    In connection with preparation of the second annual report for the 
USTR, interested parties are invited to submit written statements 
(original and 14 copies) concerning the matters to be addressed by the 
Commission. 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 
April 29, 2002. 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.

[[Page 1785]]

List of Subjects:

    Tariffs, Imports, Wool, Fabric, and Suits.

    Issued: January 8, 2002.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-889 Filed 1-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P