[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23107-23113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8901]


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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

April 28, 2005.
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 and man-made fiber 
sweaters (Category 345/645/646).

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SUMMARY: On April 6, 2005, the Committee received a request from the 
American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of 
Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE 
requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of cotton and 
man-made fiber sweaters (Category 345/645/646). 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 
sweaters. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this 
request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of 
such sweaters are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the 
orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be 
submitted by June 3, 2005 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 Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the 
World Trade Organization (Accession Agreement) provides that, if a WTO 
Member, such as the United States, believes that imports of Chinese 
origin textile and apparel products are, ``due to market disruption, 
threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in these 
products'', it may request consultations with China with a view to 
easing or avoiding the disruption. Pursuant to this provision, if the 
United States requests consultations with China, it must, at the time 
of the request, provide China with a detailed factual statement showing 
(1) the existence or threat of market disruption; and (2) the role of 
products of Chinese origin in that disruption. Beginning on the date 
that it receives such a request, China must restrict its shipments to 
the United States 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 month in which the 
request was made.
    On April 6, 2005, the Committee received a request that an 
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard action be taken on 
imports from China of cotton and man-made fiber sweaters (Category 345/
645/646). 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. In this case, 
the Committee notes that imports from China of cotton and man-made 
fiber sweaters (Category 345/645/646) have increased from 134,828 dozen 
in the first quarter of 2004 to 383,314 dozen in the first quarter of 
2005 (includes preliminary data for 2005). 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 sweaters 
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 June 3, 2005. 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 expects to 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, however, 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 
cotton and man-made fiber sweaters 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 in accordance with 
the Accession Agreement and the Committee's procedures.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
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[FR Doc.05-8901 Filed 4-29-05; 4:15 pm]
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