[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10682-10683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5698]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Request for Public Comments on Short Supply Request under the 
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

March 5, 2002.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA)

ACTION: Request for public comments concerning a request for a 
determination that certain fabrics used for trousers, shorts, skirts, 
dresses, handkerchiefs, dressing gowns, boxer shorts, and other 
apparel, cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner.

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SUMMARY: On February 28, 2002, the Chairman of CITA received a petition 
from Esquel Enterprises Limited of Hong Kong and Textile Industries 
Limited in Mauritius alleging that certain fabrics, listed below, for 
use in trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, handkerchiefs, dressing 
gowns, boxer shorts, and other apparel, as listed below, cannot be 
supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner. It requests that such apparel articles of such fabrics be 
eligible for preferential treatment under the AGOA. CITA hereby 
solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to 
whether these fabrics can be supplied by the domestic industry in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by 
March 25, 2002 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of 
Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States Department of Commerce, 
Washington, D.C. 20230.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 8, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 112(b)(5)(B) of the AGOA, Section 1 of 
Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001.

[[Page 10683]]



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                      Fabrics named in the request:
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(a) Fabrics of subheadings 5208.21, 5208.22, 5208.29, 5208.31, 5208.32,
 5208.39, 5208.41, 5208.42, 5208.49, 5208.51, 5208.52 or 5208.59, of
 average yarn number exceeding 135 metric;
(b) Fabrics of subheadings 5513.11 or 5513.21, not of square
 construction, containing more than 70 warp ends and filling picks per
 square centimeter, of average yarn number exceeding 135 metric;
(c) Fabrics of subheadings 5210.21 or 5210.31, not of square
 construction, containing more than 70 warp ends and filling picks per
 square centimeter, of average yarn number exceeding 135 metric;
(d) Fabrics of subheadings 5208.22 or 5208.32, not of square
 construction, containing more than 75 warp ends and fillings picks per
 square centimeter, of average yarn number exceeding 135 metric;
(e) Fabrics of subheadings 5407.81, 5407.82 or 5407.83, weighing less
 than 170 grams per square meter, having a dobby weave created by a
 dobby attachment, of average yarn number exceeding 135 metric;
(f) Fabrics of subheadings 5208.42 or 5208.49, not of square
 construction, containing more than 85 warp ends and filling picks per
 square centimeter, of average yarn number exceeding 85 metric, or
 exceeding 135 metric if the fabric is of oxford construction (a
 modified basket weave with a large filling yarn having no twist woven
 under and over two single, twisted warp yarns);
(g) Fabrics of subheading 5208.51, of square construction, containing
 more than 75 warp ends and filling picks per square centimeter, made
 with single yarns, of average yarn number 95 or greater metric;
(h) Fabrics of subheading 5208.41, of square construction, with a
 gingham pattern, containing more than 85 warp ends and filling picks
 per square centimeter, made with single yarns, of average yarn number
 135 or greater metric, and characterized by a check effect produced by
 the variation in color of the yarns in the warp and filling;
(i) Fabrics of subheading 5208.41, with the warp colored with vegetable
 dyes, and the filling yarns white or colored with vegetable dyes, of
 average yarn number greater than 65 metric.
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                                           Apparel articles named in the
                                                      request:
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Trousers.................................  (subheadings 6203.19,
                                            6203.22, 6204.12, 6204.22,
                                            6204.52, 6204.62, 6211.32,
                                            6211.42, 6217.90),
Shorts...................................  (subheadings 6203.19,
                                            6203.22, 6204.12, 6204.22,
                                            6204.52, 6204.62, 6211.32,
                                            6211.42, 6217.90),
Skirts...................................  (subheadings 6204.12,
                                            6204.22, 6204.52),
Dresses..................................  (subheading 6204.42),
Handkerchiefs............................  (subheading 6213.20),
Dressing Gowns...........................  (subheading 6208.91),
Boxer Shorts.............................  (subheadings 6207.11,
                                            6207.91, 6208.19, 6208.91),
                                            and
Other Apparel............................  (subheadings 6201.92,
                                            6203.22, 6203.42, 6204.12,
                                            6204.22, 6204.62, 6211.32,
                                            and 6211.42).
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BACKGROUND:

    The AGOA provides for quota- and duty-free treatment for qualifying 
textile and apparel products. Such treatment is generally limited to 
products manufactured from yarns or fabrics formed in the United States 
or a beneficiary country. The AGOA also provides for quota- and duty-
free treatment for apparel articles that are both cut (or knit-to-
shape) and sewn or otherwise assembled in one or more beneficiary sub-
Saharan African countries from fabric or yarn that is not formed in the 
United States or a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, if it has 
been determined that such fabric or yarns cannot be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. In 
Executive Order No. 13191, the President delegated to CITA the 
authority to determine whether yarns or fabrics cannot be supplied by 
the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner under 
the AGOA and directed CITA to establish procedures to ensure 
appropriate public participation in any such determination. On March 6, 
2001, CITA published procedures in the Federal Register that it will 
follow in considering requests. (66 FR 13502).
    On February 28, 2002, the Chairman of CITA received a petition from 
Esquel Enterprises Limited of Hong Kong and Textile Industries Limited 
in Mauritius alleging that certain fabrics, listed above, for use in 
certain apparel articles, listed above, cannot be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner and 
requesting quota- and duty-free treatment under the AGOA for such 
apparel articles that are cut and sewn in one or more beneficiary sub-
Saharan African countries from such fabrics.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether such fabrics can be supplied by 
the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Also 
relevant is whether other products that are supplied by the domestic 
industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner are substitutable 
for the fabrics for the purposes of the intended use. Comments must be 
received no later than March 25, 2002. 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 such fabrics 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 or fabric stating that it 
produces the fabrics that are 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 for 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.02-5698 Filed 3-6-02; 11:53 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S