[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 52 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16662-16663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06176]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination Under the Textile and Apparel Commercial 
Availability Provision of the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion 
Agreement (``U.S.-Colombia TPA'')

AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to 
Annex 3-B of the U.S.-Colombia TPA.

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DATES: Effective Date: March 18, 2013.
SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(``CITA'') has determined that certain laminated composite fabric, as 
specified below, is not available in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner in the territory of either the United Sates or Colombia. The 
product will be added to the list in Annex 3-B of the U.S.-Colombia TPA 
in unrestricted quantities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Dybczak, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3651.
    For Further Information On-Line: http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/PeruTPAReqTrack.nsf/ColombiaPetitionsApproved under ``Approved 
Requests,'' Reference number: 
1.2013.02.11.Fabric.SoriniSametforPatagoniaInc.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Authority: The U.S.-Colombia TPA; Section 203(o)(4) of the 
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act 
(``U.S.-Colombia TPA Implementation Act''), Public Law 112-42 
(October 21, 2011); the Statement of Administrative Action, 
accompanying the U.S.-Colombia TPA Implementation Act; and 
Presidential Proclamation No. 8818, 77 FR 29519 (May 18, 2012).

Background

    The U.S.-Colombia TPA provides a list in Annex 3-B for fabrics, 
yarns, and fibers that the Parties to the U.S.-Colombia TPA have 
determined are not available in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner in the territory of any Party. The U.S.-Colombia TPA and the 
U.S.-Colombia TPA Implementation Act provides that this list may be 
modified when the President of the United States determines that a 
fabric, yarn, or fiber is not available in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner in the territory of any Party. See Annex 3-B of the U.S.-
Colombia TPA; see also section 203(o)(4) of the U.S.-Colombia TPA 
Implementation Act.
    The U.S.-Colombia TPA Implementation 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 Proclamation 8818, the President delegated to 
CITA the authority under section 203(o)(4) of the U.S.-Colombia TPA 
Implementation Act for modifying the Annex 3-B list. Pursuant to this 
authority, on November 6, 2012, CITA published interim procedures it 
would follow in considering requests to modify the Annex 3-B list of 
products determined to be not commercially available in the territory 
of either the United States or Colombia (Interim Procedures for 
Considering Requests Under the Commercial Availability Provision of the 
United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, 77 FR 66588) 
(``CITA's procedures'').
    On February 11, 2013, the Chairman of CITA received a request for a 
Commercial Availability determination (``Request'') from Sorini Samet & 
Associates LLC on behalf of Patagonia, Inc. for certain laminated 
composite fabric, as specified below. On February 12, 2013, in 
accordance with CITA's procedures, CITA notified interested parties of 
the Request, which was posted on the dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR 
Commercial Availability proceedings. In its notification, CITA advised 
that any Response with an Offer to Supply (``Response'') must be 
submitted by February 25, 2013, and any Rebuttal Comments to a Response 
must be submitted by March 1, 2013, in accordance with sections 6 and 7 
of CITA's procedures. No interested entity submitted a Response to the 
Request

[[Page 16663]]

advising CITA of its objection to the Request and its ability to supply 
the subject product.
    In accordance with section 203(o)(4) of the U.S.-Colombia TPA 
Implementation Act, and section 8(c)(2) of CITA's procedures, as no 
interested entity submitted a Response objecting to the Request and 
providing an offer to supply the subject product, CITA has determined 
to add the specified fabric to the list in Annex 3-B of the U.S.-
Colombia TPA.
    The subject product has been added to the list in Annex 3-B of the 
U.S.-Colombia TPA in unrestricted quantities. A revised list has been 
posted on the dedicated Web site for U.S.-Colombia TPA Commercial 
Availability proceedings.

SPECIFICATIONS: Laminated Composite Fabric

HTS: 6001.22.0000; 6001.92.0000
Overall Fabric Description: Laminated polyester woven/micro velour grid 
one-way stretch with polyurethane laminate.
Overall Fabric Construction: Woven face/polyurethane laminate/circular 
knit velour with grid pattern.
Overall Fiber Content: 90-96% polyester/4-10% spandex (includes both 
face and backer fabric).
Overall weight: 287-351 grams per square meter.
Overall width: Selvedge: 150.4-154.4 cm; Minimum cuttable: 145.3-149.3 
cm.
Finishing: Bonded laminate with durable water repellency on the face 
fabric, and optional on back.
Performance criteria for overall fabric:
    Air permeability (ASTM D737): maximum 1.5
    Durable water repellency (AATCC 22): greater than or equal to 80 
before wash.

Face Fabric Details:
    Construction: plain weave
    Fiber content: 81-87% polyester/13-19% spandex
    Warp fiber content/denier: 73-77 denier polyester; 39-41 denier 
spandex
    Filling fiber content/denier: 73-77 denier polyester; 39-41 denier 
spandex
    Characteristics of yarns: core spun spandex (filament)
    Thread count: 49-52 picks per cm x 43-45 picks per cm
    Weight: 121.5-148.5 grams per square meter
    Width: Selvedge: 150.4-154.4 cm; Minimum cuttable: 145.3-149.3 cm
    Coloration: piece dyed
    Finishing: bonded laminate with durable water repellency
    Other special characteristics: 2-way stretch
Backer Fabric Details:
    Construction: circular knit with a dropped stitch for the grid-
brushed looped pile
    Fiber content: 100% polyester
    Warp fiber content/denier: 145-155 denier polyester
    Filling fiber content/denier: 73-77 denier polyester
    Characteristics of yarns: filament
    Knitting gauge: 27-29
    Weight: 140.4-171.6 grams per square meter
    Width: Selvedge: 150.4-154.4 cm; Minimum cuttable: 145.3-149.3 cm
Coloration: piece dyed
Finishing: Optional bonded laminate with durable water repellency
Performance criteria:
    Pilling (ASTM D3512): minimum 3
    Other special characteristics: grid pattern
Laminate Description and performance: Bonded laminate with durable 
water repellency (air permeability maximum 1.5 per ASTM D737)
    NOTE (ranges): Ranges in these specifications reflect a tolerance 
from the target figures of up to three percent for fiber content, yarn 
size, and thread count; up to ten percent for weight; and up to five 
centimeters (two inches) for width.
    NOTE (processing variations): The yarn size designations describe a 
range of yarn specifications for yarn before knitting, dyeing and 
finishing of the fabric. They are intended as specifications to be 
followed by the mill in sourcing yarn used to produce the fabric. 
Dyeing, finishing, and knitting can alter the characteristic of the 
yarn as it appears in the finished fabric. These specifications 
therefore include yarns appearing in the finished fabric as finer or 
coarser than the designated yarn sizes provided that the variation 
occurs after processing of the greige yarn and production of the 
fabric. The specifications for the fabric apply to the fabric itself 
prior to cutting and sewing of the finished garment. Such processing 
may alter the measurements.

Kim Glas,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2013-06176 Filed 3-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P