[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6003-6004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2687]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-458]


Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs (2004): Effect of 
Providing Preferential Treatment to Apparel From Sub-Saharan African, 
Caribbean Basin, and Andean Countries

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: February 2, 2004.
SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request from the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) on January 27, 2004, the Commission instituted 
investigation No. 332-458, Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs 
(2004): Effect of Providing Preferential Treatment to Apparel from Sub-
Saharan African, Caribbean Basin, and Andean Countries. The Commission 
instituted the investigation under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) to provide advice regarding the probable 
economic effect of granting preferential treatment to apparel made from 
fabrics or yarns that are the subject of petitions filed in 2004 with 
the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) under 
the ``commercial availability'' provisions of the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act (AGOA), the United States-Caribbean Basin Trade 
Partnership Act (CBTPA), and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug 
Eradication Act (ATPDEA). The Commission conducted similar 
investigations in the years 2001-03 to provide advice with respect to 
petitions filed in those years.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact 
Jackie W. Jones (202-205-3466, [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). The public record for this investigation may be viewed 
on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) http://edis.usitc.gov.
    Background: The Commission will follow procedures similar to those 
followed in the commercial availability reviews in 2003 under 
investigation No. 332-450. Thus, in 2004, the Commission will provide 
advice for each commercial availability review under one investigation 
number. In addition, the Commission will post a notification letter 
announcing the initiation of each review on its Internet site (http://www.usitc.gov) and send the notification letter to a list of interested 
parties who wish to be automatically notified via facsimile about any 
requests for which the Commission initiated analysis. Interested 
parties may be added to this list by notifying Jackie W. Jones (202-
205-3466, [email protected]). The notification letter will specify the 
article(s) under consideration, the deadline for submission of public 
comments on the proposed preferential treatment, and the name, 
telephone number, and Internet e-mail address of a staff contact for 
additional information. The Commission has a special area on its 
Internet site (http://www.usitc.gov/332s/shortsup/shortsupintro.htm) to 
provide the public with information on the status of each request for 
which the Commission initiated analysis. CITA publishes a summary of 
each request from interested parties in the Federal Register and posts 
them on its Internet site (U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of 
Textiles and Apparel, at  http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/fr.htm).
    The Commission will submit its reports to the USTR not later than 
the 42nd day after receiving a request for advice. The Commission will 
issue a public version of each report as soon as possible thereafter, 
with any

[[Page 6004]]

confidential business information deleted.
    Written Submissions: Because of time constraints, the Commission 
will not hold public hearings in connection with the advice provided 
under this investigation number. However, interested parties will be 
invited to submit written statements (a signed original and 3 copies) 
concerning the matters to be addressed by the Commission in this 
investigation. The Commission is particularly interested in receiving 
input from the private sector on the likely effect of any proposed 
preferential treatment on affected segments of the U.S. textile and 
apparel industries, their workers, and consumers.
    All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.8); any submissions that contain confidential business information 
must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). In the 
event that confidential treatment of the document is requested, an 
additional copy must be filed, in which the confidential information 
must be deleted. Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of 
the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether 
they are the ``confidential'' or ``nonconfidential'' version, and that 
the confidential business information be clearly identified by means of 
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary to 
the Commission for inspection by interested parties. The Commission may 
include confidential business information submitted in the course of 
this investigation in the reports to the USTR. The Commission will also 
issue a public version of each report. Any confidential business 
information received by the Commission in this investigation and used 
in preparing the reports to the USTR will not be published in the 
public version of the report in a manner that would reveal the 
operations of the firm supplying the information. All submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436.
    The Commission's rules do not authorize filing submissions with the 
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent 
permitted by section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules (19 CFR 201.8) 
(see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, available on the 
Commission's Internet site at ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/electronic_filing_handbook.pdf). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 or 
[email protected]).

List of Subjects

    Caribbean, African, Andean, tariffs, imports, yarn, fabric, and 
apparel.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 3, 2004.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-2687 Filed 2-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P