[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 22 (Thursday, February 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5687-5688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1362]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. NAFTA-103-13]


Woven Cotton Boxer Shorts: Probable Effect of Modification of 
NAFTA Rules of Origin for Goods of Canada and Mexico

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and request for written 
submissions.

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DATES: Effective Date: January 27, 2006.
SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on January 4, 2006 from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) under authority delegated by 
the President and pursuant to section 103 of the North American Free 
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3313), the 
Commission instituted investigation No. NAFTA-103-13, Woven Cotton 
Boxer Shorts: Probable Effect of Modification of NAFTA Rules of Origin 
for Goods of Canada and Mexico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information may be obtained from Laura 
V. Rodriguez, Office of Industries (202-205-3499, 
[email protected]); for information on legal aspects, contact 
William Gearhart of the Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091, 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of Public Affairs (202-205-1819, 
[email protected]).
    Background: Annex 300-B, Chapter 4, and Annex 401 of the NAFTA 
contain the rules of origin for textiles and apparel for application of 
the tariff provisions of the NAFTA. These rules are set forth for the 
United States in general note 12 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
(HTS). According to the USTR request letter, U.S. negotiators have 
recently reached agreement in principle with representatives of the 
Governments of Canada and Mexico to modify the NAFTA rule of origin for 
woven cotton boxer shorts classified in HTS subheading 6207.1000 and 
made from cotton woven fabrics of HTS subheadings 5210.1160, 5210.5160, 
5210.4180, 5210.4160, 5210.5140, 5208.4240, 5208.4140, 5208.5230, and 
5208.5140. These changes are the result of determinations that North 
American producers are not able to produce certain fabrics in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner. If implemented, the proposed 
rule of origin would apply to U.S. imports from and exports to the 
NAFTA parties. Section 202(q) of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement Implementation Act (the Act) authorizes the President, 
subject to the consultation and layover requirements of section 103 of 
the Act, to proclaim such modifications to the rules of origin as are 
necessary to implement an agreement with one or more of the NAFTA 
countries pursuant to paragraph 2 of section 7 of Annex 300-B of the 
Agreement. One of the requirements set out in section 103 of the Act is 
that the President obtain advice from the United States International 
Trade Commission.
    In his letter, the USTR requested that the Commission provide 
advice on the probable effect of the proposed modification of the NAFTA 
rule of origin for woven cotton boxer shorts (as described above) on 
U.S. trade under the NAFTA, on total U.S. trade, and on domestic 
producers of the affected articles. As requested, the Commission will 
submit its advice to the USTR by April 3, 2006 and soon thereafter, 
issue a public version of the report with any confidential business 
information deleted. Additional information concerning the articles and 
the proposed modifications can be obtained by accessing the electronic 
version of this notice at the Commission Internet site (http://www.usitc.gov). The current NAFTA rules of origin applicable to U.S. 
imports can be found in general note 12 of the 2006 HTS (see ``General 
Notes'' link at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/index.htm).
    Written Submissions: No public hearing is planned. However, 
interested parties are invited to submit written statements concerning 
the matters to be addressed by the Commission in this investigation. 
Submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20436. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
statements related to the Commission's reports should be submitted to 
the Commission at the earliest practical date and should be received no 
later than the close of business on February 20, 2006. 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). Section 
201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or copy designated 
as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In 
the event that confidential treatment of the document is requested, at 
least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which the 
confidential business information must be deleted (see the following 
paragraph for further information regarding confidential business 
information). 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 rules (see Handbook for 
Electronic Filing Procedures, http://hotdocs.usitc.gov/pubs/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf.
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information 
(CBI) must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). 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 CBI be 
clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, 
except for CBI, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary 
to the Commission for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the CBI it receives in 
the report it sends to the President. However, the Commission will not 
publish CBI in the public version of the report in a manner that would 
reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information. The public 
version will be made available to the public on the Commission's 
Internet site (http://www.usitc.gov).
    The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the 
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) http://edis.usitc.gov. 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

[[Page 5688]]

Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

List of Subjects

    NAFTA, Rules of origin, Fabrics, Boxer shorts.

    Issued: January 27, 2006.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E6-1362 Filed 2-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P