[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44076-44077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18207]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request 
Under the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(CITA).

ACTION:  Request for Public Comment concerning a request for 
modification of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement

[[Page 44077]]

rules of origin for certain woven fabrics of artificial filament yarn.

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SUMMARY: On June 11, 2015, the Government of the United States received 
a request from the Government of Chile to modify the U.S.-Chile Free 
Trade Agreement's (FTA) rules of origin for woven fabrics of artificial 
filament yarn in subheadings 5408.22-5408.23 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) to allow the use of non-U.S. or 
Chilean filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 
5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 of the HTSUS. As provided in 
Article 3.20.3-3.20.5 of the U.S.-Chile FTA, the Parties shall consult 
to consider whether the rules of origin applicable to particular 
textile and apparel goods should be revised to address issues of 
availability of supply of fibers, yarns or fabrics in the territory of 
the Parties. The United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act provides the President with the authority to 
proclaim a modification to the U.S.-Chile FTA rules of origin necessary 
to implement an agreement with Chile on the modification. CITA hereby 
solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to 
whether filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 
5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 can be supplied by the domestic 
industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be 
submitted by August 24, 2015 to the Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 30003, United States 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Richard Stetson, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-2582.

    Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended; 
Section 202 of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
Act (19 U.S.C. 3805).

Background

    Under the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA), each Party is 
required to eliminate customs duties on textile and apparel goods that 
qualify as originating goods under the FTA rules of origin, which are 
set out in Annex 4.1 to the FTA. Article 3.20 of the FTA provides that 
the rules of origin for textile and apparel products may be amended 
through a subsequent agreement between the two Parties under certain 
circumstances. In consultations regarding such a change, the two 
Parties are to consider issues of availability of fibers, yarns, or 
fabrics in the free trade area and whether domestic producers are 
capable of supplying commercial quantities of the good in a timely 
manner. Section 202 of the U.S.-Chile FTA Implementation Act provides 
the President with the authority to proclaim modifications to the FTA 
rules of origin as are necessary to implement an agreement with Chile 
on such a modification.
    On June 11, 2015, the Government of the United States received a 
request from the Government of Chile to modify the U.S.-Chile Free 
Trade Agreement's (FTA) rules of origin for woven fabrics of artificial 
filament yarn in subheadings 5408.22-5408.23 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) to allow the use of non-U.S. or 
Chilean filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 
5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 of the HTSUS. As provided in 
Article 3.20.3-3.20.5 of the U.S.-Chile FTA, the Parties shall consult 
to consider whether the rules of origin applicable to particular 
textile and apparel goods should be revised to address issues of 
availability of supply of fibers, yarns or fabrics in the territory of 
the Parties. The United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act provides the President with the authority to 
proclaim a modification to the U.S.-Chile FTA rules of origin necessary 
to implement an agreement with Chile on the modification. CITA hereby 
solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to 
whether filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 
5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 can be supplied by the domestic 
industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. CITA hereby 
solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to 
whether filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 
5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 can be supplied by the domestic 
industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be 
received no later than August 24, 2015. Interested persons are invited 
to submit six copies of such comments or information to the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 30003, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230.
    If a comment alleges that filament yarn of viscose rayon can be 
supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner, CITA will closely review any supporting documentation, such as 
a signed statement by a manufacturer stating that it produces the 
filament yarn of viscose rayon that is the subject of the request, 
including the quantities that can be supplied and the time necessary to 
fill an order, as well as any relevant information regarding past 
production.
    CITA will protect any business confidential information that is 
marked `business confidential' from disclosure to the full extent 
permitted by law. CITA will make available to the public non-
confidential versions of the request and non-confidential versions of 
any public comments received with respect to a request in Room 30003 in 
the Herbert Hoover Building, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230. Persons submitting comments on a request are 
encouraged to include a non-confidential version and a non-confidential 
summary.

Joshua Teitelbaum,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2015-18207 Filed 7-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P