[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9380-9381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04762]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. U.S.-Korea FTA-103-032]


U.S.-Korea FTA: Advice on Modifications to Certain Textile and 
Apparel Rules of Origin

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and notice of opportunity to 
provide written comments.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on February 22, 2019, of a request from the 
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), under authority delegated by the 
President and pursuant to section 104(1) of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade 
Agreement Implementation Act (the Act), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. U.S.-Korea FTA-
103-032, U.S.-Korea FTA: Advice on Modifications to Certain Textile and 
Apparel Rules of Origin, for the purpose of providing advice on 
modifications to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) rules of 
origin for certain textile and apparel goods.

DATES: March 29, 2019: Deadline for filing written submissions. June 
24, 2019: Transmittal of Commission report to USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices are located in the United States

[[Page 9381]]

International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, 
DC. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, 
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this investigation may be 
viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Jeff Horowitz (202-205-
2750 or [email protected]) or Deputy Project Leader Robert 
Casanova (202-708-2719 or [email protected]) for information 
specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of 
this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office 
of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [email protected]). 
The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External 
Relations (202-205-1819 or [email protected]). Hearing-
impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by 
contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General 
information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing 
its internet server (https://www.usitc.gov). Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: In his request letter (received February 22, 2019), the 
USTR stated that the United States and Korea have recently reached 
preliminary agreement on proposed modifications to the KORUS rules of 
origin for certain textile and apparel goods. The USTR stated that 
section 202(o)(2)(B)(i) of the Act authorizes the President, subject to 
the consultation and layover requirements of section 104 of the Act, to 
proclaim such modifications to the rules or origin for textiles and 
apparel goods as are necessary to implement an agreement with Korea 
pursuant to Article 4.2.5 of the U.S.-Korea FTA. The USTR also stated 
that one of the requirements set out in section 104(1) of the Act is 
that the President obtain advice regarding the proposed action from the 
Commission.
    In the request letter, the USTR requested that the Commission 
provide advice on the probable economic effect of the modifications on 
U.S. trade under KORUS, total U.S. trade, and on domestic producers of 
the affected articles. He further requested that the Commission provide 
its advice at the earliest possible date but no later than four months 
from receipt of the request, and that it issue, as soon as possible 
thereafter, a public version of its report with any confidential 
business information deleted.
    The proposed modifications to the KORUS rules of origin cover the 
following products: Certain cotton yarns (under HTS heading 5206) with 
viscose rayon staple fibers (under HTS subheadings 5504.10 or 5507.00), 
certain woven fabrics (under HTS heading 5408) with cuprammonium rayon 
yarns (under HTS heading 5403.39), and certain apparel (under HTS 
heading 6110), accessories and parts (under HTS heading 6117) of 
certain cashmere yarns (under HTS heading 5108). The request letter and 
the proposed modifications are available on the Commission's website at 
https://www.usitc.gov. As requested, the Commission will provide its 
advice to USTR no later than four months of receiving the request 
letter (by June 24, 2019).
    Written Submissions: No public hearing is planned. However, 
interested parties are invited to file written submissions. All written 
submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be 
received no later than 5:15 p.m., March 29, 2019. All written 
submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 
201.8 and the Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures require that 
interested parties file documents electronically on or before the 
filing deadline and submit eight (8) true paper copies by 12:00 p.m. 
eastern time on the next business day. In the event that confidential 
treatment of a document is requested, interested parties must file, at 
the same time as the eight paper copies, at least four (4) additional 
true paper copies in which the confidential information must be deleted 
(see the following paragraph for further information regarding 
confidential business information). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket 
Services Division (202-205-1802).
    Confidential Business Information: Any submissions that contain 
confidential business information (CBI) must also conform with the 
requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the 
cover of the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to 
whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, 
and that the confidential business information is clearly identified by 
means of brackets. All written submissions, except for those containing 
CBI, will be made available for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the CBI submitted in the 
course of the investigation in the report it sends to USTR. In 
addition, all information, including CBI, submitted in this 
investigation may be disclosed to and used: (i) By the Commission, its 
employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or 
maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in 
internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to 
the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including 
under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and 
contract personnel for cybersecurity purposes. The Commission will not 
otherwise disclose any confidential business information in a manner 
that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.
    Summaries of Written Submissions: The Commission intends to publish 
summaries of the positions of interested persons in an appendix to its 
report. Persons wishing to have a summary of their position included in 
the appendix should include a summary with their written submission and 
should specifically state that the summary is intended for that 
purpose, and titled as such. The summary may not exceed 500 words, 
should be in MSWord format or a format that can be easily converted to 
MSWord, and should not include any CBI. The summary will be included in 
the report as provided if it meets these requirements and is germane to 
the subject matter of the investigation. In the appendix, the 
Commission will identify the name of the organization furnishing the 
summary and will include a link to the Commission's Electronic Document 
Information System (EDIS) where the full written submission can be 
found.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 11, 2019.
Katherine Hiner,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2019-04762 Filed 3-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P