[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21810-21811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09430]


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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'')

AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to 
Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement.

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SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(``CITA'') has determined that certain two-way stretch polyester/rayon/
spandex twill weave fabric, as specified below, is not available in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The 
product will be added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR 
Agreement in unrestricted quantities.

DATES: Effective: May 10, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Goodman, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3651.
    For Further Information On-Line: http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/CaftaReqTrack.nsf under ``Approved Requests,'' Reference number: 
209.2017.04.03.Fabric.ST&RforMedline.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Authority: The CAFTA-DR Agreement; Section 203(o)(4) of the 
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade 
Agreement Implementation Act (``CAFTA-DR Implementation Act''), Pub. 
Law 109-53; the Statement of Administrative Action, accompanying the 
CAFTA-DR Implementation Act; and Presidential Proclamation 7987 
(February 28, 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. The CAFTA-DR Agreement provides 
that this list may be modified pursuant to Article 3.25.4 and 3.25.5, 
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 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR 
Agreement; see also section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation 
Act.
    The CAFTA-DR 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 Proclamations 7987 and 7996, the President delegated to 
CITA the authority under section 203(o)(4) of CAFTA-DR Implementation 
Act for modifying the Annex 3.25 list. Pursuant to this authority, on 
September 15, 2008, CITA published modified procedures it would follow 
in considering requests to modify the Annex 3.25 list of products 
determined to be not commercially available in the territory of any 
Party to CAFTA-DR (Modifications to Procedures for Considering Requests 
Under the Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-
Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, 73 FR 53200) 
(``CITA's procedures'').
    On April 3, 2017, the Chairman of CITA received a request for a 
Commercial Availability determination (``Request'') from Sandler, 
Travis and Rosenberg, P.A., on behalf of Medline Industries, Inc. for 
certain two-way stretch polyester/rayon/spandex twill weave fabric. On 
April 4, 2017, 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 April 17, 2017, and any Rebuttal 
Comments to a Response must be submitted by April 21, 2017, in 
accordance with sections 6 and 7 of CITA's procedures. No interested 
entity submitted a Response to the Request advising CITA of its 
objection to the Request and its offer to supply the subject product.
    In accordance with section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR 
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 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR 
Agreement.
    The subject product has been added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the 
CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities. A revised list has been 
posted on the dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability 
proceedings, at http://otexa.trade.gov/caftaannex325.htm.

Specifications: Two-way Stretch Polyester/Rayon/Spandex Twill Weave 
Fabric
HTS: 5515.11.00
Fiber Content: 69-75% polyester; 20-26% rayon, 2-8% spandex
Warp: Plied polyester/rayon staple with spandex filament
Filling: Plied textured polyester filament with spandex filament
Thread count: 47.2-51.2 warp ends per linear cm (120-130 warp ends per 
linear inch); 35.43-39.37 filling ends per linear cm (90-100 filling 
ends per linear inch)
Fabric weight: 194 to 206 grams per meter squared (5.7 to 6.1 ounces 
per square yard)
Finishing process: Softened
Coloration: Piece dyed, yarn dyed, bleached and printed

Performance Criteria

Dimensional Stability/Shrinkage (AATCC 135): +/-3%
Colorfastness to Laundering (AATCC 61): >/= 4.0 color change; >/= 3.5 
staining for light colors (3.0 for dark colors)
Colorfastness to Crocking (AATCC 8): >/= 4.0 dry; >/= 3 wet for light 
colors (2.5 for dark colors).


[[Page 21811]]


    Note: 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. This specification therefore includes 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.


Terry Labat,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2017-09430 Filed 5-9-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P