[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28711-28712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9894]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. NAFTA-103-018]


Certain Textile Articles: Probable Effect of Modification of 
NAFTA Rules of Origin for Goods of Canada and Mexico (Sanitary Articles 
and Nonwoven Wipes) and for Goods of Canada (Chenille Fabrics)

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and request for written 
submissions; extension of date for written submissions.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on April 17, 2007, 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-103-018, Certain Textile 
Articles: Probable Effect of Modification of NAFTA Rules of Origin for 
Goods of Canada and Mexico (Sanitary Articles and Nonwoven Wipes) and 
for Goods of Canada (Chenille Fabrics).

DATES: May 16, 2007: Original deadline for filing written submissions.
    May 29, 2007: Extended deadline for filing written submissions.
    June 15, 2007: Transmittal of Commission report to the USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Rapkins, Office of Industries 
(202-205-3406; [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 External Relations (202-205-1819; 
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 
Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in 
gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: The Commission issued an earlier version of this notice 
on May 3, 2007, and sent copies to parties believed to have an interest 
in the matter. The notice requested that parties with an interest in 
the matter file any written submissions by May 16, 2007. However, due 
to a technical error, the notice was not published in the Federal 
Register. In view of that error, the Commission has extended to the 
close of business May 29, 2007, the due date for filing any written 
submissions. Parties that have already filed submissions may amend or 
supplement such submissions, provided they do so on or before the close 
of business May 29, 2007, and in the manner provided for below.
    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's letter, U.S. negotiators have recently reached 
agreements in principle with representatives of the Governments of 
Canada and Mexico concerning proposed modifications to the NAFTA rules 
of origin for certain sanitary articles and nonwoven wipes, and the 
Government of Canada only concerning a proposed modification to the 
NAFTA rule of origin for certain chenille fabrics. If implemented, the 
proposed rules changes would apply only to U.S. imports from and U.S. 
exports to the NAFTA parties in agreement with the rules changes. 
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 of section 103 of the Act is that the President obtain 
advice regarding the proposed actions from the Commission.
    The USTR requested that the Commission provide advice on the 
probable effect of the proposed modifications of the NAFTA rules of 
origin for the specified articles on U.S. trade under the NAFTA, on 
total U.S.

[[Page 28712]]

trade, and on domestic producers of the affected articles. As 
requested, the Commission will provide its advice to the USTR by June 
15, 2007, and will issue a public version of its report shortly 
thereafter, with any confidential business information deleted.
    The goods of Canada and Mexico covered by this investigation, as 
presented in part I of the attachment to the USTR's letter, are 
sanitary towels or tampons classified in HTS subheading 5601.10 and 
nonwoven wipes classified in HTS subheadings 5603.91-5603.94 that are 
made from viscose rayon staple fibers of HTS subheading 5504.10. The 
goods of Canada only that are covered by this investigation, as 
presented in part II of the USTR's attachment, are chenille fabrics 
classified in HTS subheading 5801.36 and made from acrylic fibers 
classified in HTS subheading 5503.30. The USTR's letter and attachment 
can be viewed on the Commission's Internet server at http://www.usitc.gov/edis.htm. The current NAFTA rules of origin applicable to 
U.S. imports can be found in general note 12 of the 2007 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 its report on this 
investigation. Submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the 
Commission. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
statements related to the investigation should be submitted to the 
Commission at the earliest practical date and should be received no 
later than the close of business on May 29, 2007. 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 authorize filing submissions with 
the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means only to the extent 
permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for Electronic 
Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with 
questions regarding electronic filing should contact 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 
``nonconfidential'' 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.
    The Commission may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR and the President. However, the Commission will 
not publish such confidential business information in the public 
version of its report in a manner that would reveal the operations of 
the firm supplying the information.

    Issued: May 18, 2007.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7-9894 Filed 5-21-07; 8:45 am]
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