[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44566-44567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15444]


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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

August 1, 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 women's and girls' cotton and 
man-made fiber woven shirts and blouses (Category 341/641).

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SUMMARY: On July 11, 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 women's and 
girls' cotton and man-made fiber woven shirts and blouses (Category 
341/641). 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 
applied on imports of such shirts and blouses. The Committee hereby 
solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to 
whether imports from China of such shirts and blouses are, due to 
market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of 
trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by September 2, 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, DC 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 (WTO) 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.
    The Committee has published procedures (the Procedures) it follows 
in considering requests for Accession Agreement textile and apparel 
safeguard actions (68 FR 27787, May 21, 2003; 68 FR 49440, August 18, 
2003), including the information that must be included in such requests 
in order for the Committee to consider them.
    On July 11, 2005, the Committee received a request that an 
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard action be applied on 
imports from China of women's and girls' cotton and man-made fiber 
woven shirts and blouses (Category 341/641). 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 available at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/Safeguard05.htm.
    The Committee is soliciting public comments on this request, in 
particular with regard to whether imports from China of such shirts and 
blouses 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 September 2, 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 
women's and girls' cotton and man-made fiber woven shirts and blouses 
are, due to market disruption,

[[Page 44567]]

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.

James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 05-15444 Filed 8-1-05; 1:41 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S