[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10992-10993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3082]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-473]


Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs (2006): 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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DATES: Effective Date: February 27, 2006.
SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request from the United States Trade 
Representative (USTR) dated February 16, 2006, the Commission 
instituted its sixth annual investigation No. 332-473, Commercial 
Availability of Apparel Inputs (2006): Effect of Providing Preferential 
Treatment to Apparel from Sub-Saharan African, Caribbean Basin, and 
Andean Countries, 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 2006 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 2001-05 to provide advice with respect to 
petitions filed in those years.
    Background: The Commission will follow procedures similar to those 
followed in the commercial availability reviews in 2005 under 
investigation No. 332-465. Thus, in 2006, the Commission will provide 
advice for each commercial availability review under one investigation 
number. 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 about any requests for which the 
Commission initiates analysis. Interested parties may be added to this 
list by notifying Jackie W. Jones (202-205-3466, 
[email protected]) or Heidi Colby-Oizumi (202-205-3391, 
[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/ind_econ_ana/research_ana/pres_cong/332/short_supply/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 reviews to the USTR not later than 
the 42nd day after receiving a request for advice. The Commission will 
post a public version of each review on its website as soon as possible 
thereafter, with any confidential business information deleted.

[[Page 10993]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader: Jackie W. Jones (202-
205-3466, [email protected]). Deputy Project Leader: Heidi Colby-
Oizumi (202-205-3391, [email protected]).
    Industry-specific information may be obtained from the above 
persons. For more information on legal aspects of the investigation, 
contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of the General 
Counsel at 202-205-3091 or [email protected]. The media should 
contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations at 202-205-
1819 or [email protected]. Hearing impaired individuals are 
advised that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting 
the TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. General information concerning the 
Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server 
(http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for these investigations may 
be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS-ONLINE) at http://edis.usitc.gov/hvwebex.
    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 persons are 
invited to submit written statements containing data and other 
information concerning the matters to be addressed by the Commission. 
All submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20436, and should be received no later than the close of business (5:15 
p.m. EST) on the date stated in the notification letter of each review 
of a petition. All written submissions must conform with the provisions 
of Sec.  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 a copy designated as an original) and three (3) copies of each 
document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the 
document is requested, at least two (2) 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, ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/electronic_filing_handbook. Persons with 
questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the 
Secretary (202-205-2000 or [email protected]).
    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). 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 ``non-
confidential'' 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. Some or all of the confidential business 
information provided may be included in the reviews that the Commission 
sends to the USTR. The Commission plans to publish a public version of 
each review shortly after a review is sent to the USTR. However, in the 
public version the Commission will not publish confidential business 
information in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm 
supplying the information.
    Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance 
in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Secretary at 
202-205-2000.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 28, 2006.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E6-3082 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P