[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43807-43817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16734]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Solicitation of Public Comments on Request for Textile and 
Apparel Safeguard Action on Imports from China

July 19, 2004.
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (the 
Committee)

ACTION: Solicitation of public comments concerning a request for 
safeguard action on imports from China of cotton, wool, and man-made 
fiber socks, merged Category 332/432 and 632 part.

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SUMMARY: On June 28, 2004, the Committee received a request from the 
Domestic Manufacturers Committee of The Hosiery Association, the 
American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of 
Textile Organizations, and the National Textile Association requesting 
that the Committee limit imports from China of cotton, wool, and man-
made fiber socks (merged Category 332/432 and 632 part). They request 
that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the 
Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World 
Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be taken on imports of 
such socks. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this 
request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of 
such socks are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the 
orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be 
submitted by August 23, 2004 to the Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States 
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20230.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 204 of the Agriculture Act of 1956, as 
amended; Executive Order 11651, as amended.

BACKGROUND:

    The Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard allows the 
United States and other World Trade Organization Members that believe 
imports of Chinese origin textile and apparel products are, due to 
market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of 
trade in these products to request consultations with China with a view 
to easing or avoiding such market disruption. Upon receipt of the 
request, China has agreed to hold its shipments to a level no greater 
than 7.5 percent (6 percent for wool product categories) above the 
amount entered during the first 12 months of the most recent 14 months 
preceding the request for consultations. The Member requesting 
consultations may implement such a limit. Consultations with China will 
be held within 30 days of receipt of the request for consultations, and 
every effort will be made to reach agreement on a mutually satisfactory 
solution within 90 days of receipt of the request for consultations. If 
agreement on a different limit is reached, the Committee will issue a 
Federal Register Notice containing a directive to the Bureau of Customs 
and Border Protection that implements the negotiated limit. The limit 
is effective beginning on the date of the request for consultations and 
ending on December 31 of the year in which consultations were 
requested, or where three or fewer

[[Page 43808]]

months remained in the year at the time of the request for 
consultations, for the period ending 12 months after the request for 
consultations. In order to facilitate the implementation of the 
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard, the Committee has 
published procedures (the Procedures) it will follow in considering 
requests for Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard actions 
(68 FR 27787, published May 21, 2003; 68 FR 49440, published August 18, 
2003).
    On June 28, 2004, the Committee received a request that an 
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard action be taken on 
imports from China of cotton, wool, and man-made fiber socks (merged 
Category 332/432 and 632 part). The Committee has determined that this 
request provides the information necessary for the Committee to 
consider the request in light of the considerations set forth in the 
Procedures. The text of the request is reproduced in full below.
    The Committee is soliciting public comments on this request, in 
particular with regard to whether imports from China of such socks are, 
due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development 
of trade in this product. Comments may be submitted by any interested 
person. Comments must be received no later than August 23, 2004. 
Interested persons are invited to submit ten copies of such comments to 
the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, 
Room 3001A, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue 
N.W., Washington, DC 20230.
    If a comment alleges that there is no market disruption or that the 
subject imports are not the cause of market disruption, the Committee 
will closely review any supporting information and documentation, such 
as information about domestic production or prices of like or directly 
competitive products. Particular consideration will be given to 
comments representing the views of actual producers in the United 
States of a like or directly competitive product.
    The Committee will protect any business confidential information 
that is marked business confidential from disclosure to the full extent 
permitted by law. To the extent that business confidential information 
is provided, two copies of a non-confidential version must also be 
provided in which business confidential information is summarized or, 
if necessary, deleted. Comments received, with the exception of 
information marked ``business confidential'', will be available for 
inspection between Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m in the Trade 
Reference and Assistance Center Help Desk, Suite 800M, USA Trade 
Information Center, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC, (202) 482-3433.
    The Committee will make a determination within 60 calendar days of 
the close of the comment period as to whether the United States will 
request consultations with China. If the Committee is unable to make a 
determination within 60 calendar days, it will cause to be published a 
notice in the Federal Register, including the date by which it will 
make a determination. If the Committee makes a negative determination, 
it will cause this determination and the reasons therefore to be 
published in the Federal Register. If the Committee makes an 
affirmative determination that imports of Chinese origin textiles and 
apparel products are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede 
the orderly development of trade in these products, the United States 
will request consultations with China with a view to easing or avoiding 
such market disruption.

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James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.04-16734 Filed 7-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S