[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 160 (Monday, August 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46445-46446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16425]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination Under the Textile and Apparel Commercial 
Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United 
States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR Agreement)

August 15, 2007.
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(CITA).

ACTION: Determination to add two products in unrestricted quantities to 
Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement

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EFFECTIVE DATE: August 20, 2007.
SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(CITA) has determined that two woven fabrics, as specified below, are 
not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the CAFTA-
DR region. The products will be added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the 
CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Stetson, Office of Textiles 
and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-2582.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON-LINE: http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/CaftaReqTrack.nsf.Reference number: 
23.2007.06.18.Fabric.Governmentofthe DominicanRepublic.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 203(o)(4) of the Dominican Republic-Central 
America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 
(CAFTA-DR Act); the Statement of Administrative Action (SAA), 
accompanying the CAFTA-DR Act; Presidential Proclamations 7987 
(February 28, 2006) and 7996 (March 31, 2006).

Background:

    The CAFTA-DR Agreement provides a list in Annex 3.25 for fabrics, 
yarns, and fibers that the Parties to the CAFTA-DR Agreement have 
determined are not available in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner in the territory of any Party. Articles that otherwise meet the 
rule of origin to qualify for preferential treatment are not 
disqualified because they contain one of the products on the Annex 3.25 
list.
    The CAFTA-DR Agreement provides that this list may be modified 
pursuant to Article 3.25(4)-(5), when the President of the United 
States determines that a fabric, yarn, or fiber is not available in 
commercial quantities

[[Page 46446]]

in a timely manner in the territory of any Party. The CAFTA-DR Act 
states that the President will make a determination on whether 
additional fabrics, yarns, and fibers are available in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner in the territory of any Party.
    The CAFTA-DR Act requires the President to establish procedures 
governing the submission of a request and providing opportunity for 
interested entities to submit comments and supporting evidence before a 
commercial availability determination is made. In Presidential 
Proclamations 7987 and 7996, the President delegated to CITA the 
authority under section 203(o)(4) of the CAFTA-DR Act for modifying the 
Annex 3.25 list. On March 21, 2007, CITA published final procedures it 
would follow in considering requests to modify the Annex 3.25 list (72 
FR 13256) (Final Procedures).
    On June 18, 2007, CITA received a Request from The Government of 
the Dominican Republic for a commercial availability determination 
under the CAFTA-DR for 29 fabrics. On June 20, 2007, in accordance with 
CITA's Final Procedures, CITA notified interested parties of the 
Request and requested that responses with offers to supply be submitted 
by July 2, 2007, and rebuttals to responses be submitted by July 9, 
2007. At the same time, the Request was posted on the dedicated CAFTA-
DR commercial availability Web site.
    In accordance with section 203(o)(4)(C)(iii)(II) of the CAFTA-DR 
Act, and section 8(c)(2) of the Final Procedures, as no interested 
entity submitted a response objecting to two of the fabrics of the 
request or expressed an ability to supply the subject products, CITA 
has determined to add the two specified fabrics to the list in Annex 
3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement.
    The subject fabrics are added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the 
CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities. A revised list has been 
published on-line.

Specifications of the two woven fabrics:

 
 
 
HTS Subheading:                        5211.31.0020
Fiber content:                         75% cotton, 25% nylon woven
                                        fabric
Yarn:                                  .................................
warp yarn size:                        35.5/1 metric cotton
filling yarn size:                     35.5/1 metric (slub yarn of
                                        cotton wrapped around a 45
                                        metric filament nylon)
                                        41 warp ends/cm.
                                        22 filling picks/cm
weight:                                223 grams per square meter
width:                                 147 cm
weave type:                            plain
Finish:                                piece dyed
 

    (Variance allowance of up to three percent for yarn size, thread 
count, fabric weight, and fabric width for the above fabric)

 
 
 
HTS Subheading:                        5801.32
Fiber content:                         86% polyester 14% nylon woven
                                        corduroy fabric
Yarn:                                  .................................
warp yarn size:                         60 metric filament polyester
filling yarn size:                     60 metric filament polyester and
                                        a 56 metric filament nylon
                                       28 warp ends/cm
                                       63 filling picks/cm.
weight:                                250 grams per square meter
width:                                 150 cm.
weave type:                             corduroy - 3 wales per cm.
Finish:                                piece dyed
 

    (Variance allowance of up to three percent for yarn size, thread 
count, fabric weight, and fabric width for the above fabric)

R. Matthew Priest,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7-16425 Filed 8-17-07; 11:17 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S