[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 25382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09926]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

    On behalf of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements (CITA), the Department of Commerce will submit to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for 
collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: International Trade Administration, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements.
    Title: Interim Procedures for Considering Requests under the 
Commercial Availability Provision of the United States-Panama Trade 
Promotion Agreement.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    OMB Control Number: 0625-0273.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Burden Hours: 89.
    Number of Respondents: 16 (10 for Requests; 3 for Responses; 3 for 
Rebuttals).
    Average Hours per Response: 8 hours per Request; 2 hours per 
Response; and 1 hour per Rebuttal.
    Needs and Uses: Title II, Section 203(o) of the United States-
Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (the ``Act'') 
[Public Law 112-43] implements the commercial availability provision 
provided for in Article 3.25 of the United States-Panama Trade 
Promotion Agreement (the ``Agreement''). The Agreement entered into 
force on October 31, 2012. Subject to the rules of origin in Annex 4.1 
of the Agreement, and pursuant to the textile provisions of the 
Agreement, a fabric, yarn, or fiber produced in Panama or the United 
States and traded between the two countries is entitled to duty-free 
tariff treatment. Annex 3.25 of the Agreement also lists specific 
fabrics, yarns, and fibers that the two countries agreed are not 
available in commercial quantities in a timely manner from producers in 
Panama or the United States. The items listed in Annex 3.25 are 
commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers. Articles 
containing these items are entitled to duty-free or preferential 
treatment despite containing inputs not produced in Panama or the 
United States.
    The list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers may 
be changed pursuant to the commercial availability provision in Chapter 
3, Article 3.25, Paragraphs 4-6 of the Agreement. Under this provision, 
interested entities from Panama or the United States have the right to 
request that a specific fabric, yarn, or fiber be added to, or removed 
from, the list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers 
in Annex 3.25 of the Agreement.
    Pursuant to Chapter 3, Article 3.25, paragraph 6 of the Agreement, 
which requires that the President publish procedures for parties to 
exercise the right to make these requests, Section 203(o)(4) of the Act 
authorizes the President to establish procedures to modify the list of 
fabrics, yarns, or fibers not available in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner in either the United States or Panama as set out in Annex 
3.25 of the Agreement. The President delegated the responsibility for 
publishing the procedures and administering commercial availability 
requests to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(``CITA''), which issues procedures and acts on requests through the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Textiles and Apparel (``OTEXA'') 
(See Proclamation No. 8894, 77 FR 66507, November 5, 2012).
    The intent of the Commercial Availability Procedures is to foster 
the use of U.S. and regional products by implementing procedures that 
allow products to be placed on or removed from a product list, in a 
timely manner, and in a manner that is consistent with normal business 
practice. The procedures are intended to facilitate the transmission of 
requests; allow the market to indicate the availability of the supply 
of products that are the subject of requests; make available promptly, 
to interested entities and the public, information regarding the 
requests for products and offers received for those products; ensure 
wide participation by interested entities and parties; allow for 
careful review and consideration of information provided to 
substantiate requests and responses; and provide timely public 
dissemination of information used by CITA in making commercial 
availability determinations.
    CITA must collect certain information about fabric, yarn, or fiber 
technical specifications and the production capabilities of Panamanian 
and U.S. textile producers to determine whether certain fabrics, yarns, 
or fibers are available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in 
the United States or Panama, subject to Section 203(o) of the Act.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Varies.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of 
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: April 25, 2016.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-09926 Filed 4-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P