[Federal Register: November 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 212)]
[Notices]
[Page 64034-64035]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03no04-54]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Solicitation of Public Comments on Request for Textile and
Apparel Safeguard Action on Imports from China
October 29, 2004.
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (the
Committee)
ACTION: Solicitation of public comments concerning a request for
safeguard action on imports from China of cotton trousers (Category
347/348).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Committee has received a request from the American
Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile
Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS, and UNITE HERE!
(Requestors) asking the Committee to limit imports from China of cotton
trousers in accordance with the textile and apparel safeguard provision
of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade
Organization (the Accession Agreement). The Committee hereby solicits
public comments on this request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jay Dowling, Office of Textiles and
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4058.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: Section 204 of the Agriculture Act of 1956, as
amended; Executive Order 11651, as amended.
BACKGROUND:
The textile and apparel safeguard provision of the Accession
Agreement provides for the United States and other members of the World
Trade Organization that believe imports of Chinese origin textile and
apparel products are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede
the orderly development of trade in these products to request
consultations with China with a view to easing or avoiding the
disruption. Pursuant to this provision, if the United States requests
consultations with China, it must, at the time of the request, provide
China with a detailed factual statement showing ``(1) the existence or
threat of market disruption; and (2) the role of products of Chinese
origin in that disruption.'' Beginning on the date that it receives
such a request, China must restrict its shipments to the United States
to a level no greater than 7.5 percent (6 percent for wool product
categories) above the amount entered during the first 12 months of the
most recent 14 months preceding the month in which the request was
made. If exports from China exceed that amount, the United States may
enforce the restriction.
The Committee has published procedures (the Procedures) it follows
in considering requests for Accession Agreement textile and apparel
safeguard actions (68 FR 27787, May 21, 2003; 68 FR 49440, August 18,
2003), including the information that must be included in such requests
in order for the Committee to consider them.
On October 8, 2004, the Requestors asked the Committee to impose an
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard action on imports
from China of cotton trousers (Category 347/348) on the ground that an
anticipated increase in cotton trouser imports after January 1, 2005,
threatens to disrupt the U.S. market for cotton trousers. The request
is available at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov. In light of the
considerations set forth in the Procedures, the Committee has
determined that the Requestors have provided the information necessary
for the Committee to consider the request.
The Committee is soliciting public comments on the request, in
particular with regard to whether there is a threat of disruption to
the U.S. market for cotton trousers and, if so, the role of Chinese-
origin cotton trousers in that disruption. To this end, the Committee
seeks relevant information addressing factors such as the following,
which may be relevant in the particular circumstances of this case,
involving a product under a quota that will be
[[Page 64035]]
removed on January 1, 2005: (1) Whether cotton trouser imports from
China are entering, or are expected to enter, the United States at
prices that are substantially below prices of the like or directly
competitive U.S. product, and whether those imports are likely to have
a significant depressing or suppressing effect on domestic prices of
the like or directly competitive U.S. product or are likely to increase
demand for further imports from China; (2) Whether exports of Chinese-
origin cotton trousers to the United States are likely to increase
substantially and imminently (due to existing unused production
capacity, due to capacity that can easily be shifted from the
production of other products to the production of cotton trousers, or
due to an imminent and substantial increase in production capacity or
investment in production capacity), taking into account the
availability of other markets to absorb any additional exports; (3)
Whether Chinese-origin cotton trousers that are presently sold in the
Chinese market or in third-country markets will be diverted to the U.S.
market in the imminent future (for example, due to more favorable
pricing in the U.S. market or to existing or imminent import restraints
into third country markets); (4) The level and the extent of any recent
change in inventories of cotton trousers in China or in U.S. bonded
warehouses; (5) Whether conditions of the domestic industry of the like
or directly competitive product demonstrate that market disruption is
likely (as may be evident from any anticipated factory closures or
decline in investment in the production of cotton trousers), and
whether actual or anticipated imports of Chinese-origin cotton trousers
are likely to affect the development and production efforts of the U.S.
cotton trouser industry; and (6) Whether U.S. managers, retailers,
purchasers, importers, or other market participants have recognized
Chinese producers of cotton trousers as potential suppliers (for
example, through pre-qualification procedures or framework agreements).
Comments may be submitted by any interested person. Comments must
be received no later than December 3, 2004. Interested persons are
invited to submit ten copies of such comments to the Chairman,
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue N.W.,
Washington, DC 20230.
The Committee will protect any business confidential information
that is marked ``business confidential'' from disclosure to the full
extent permitted by law. To the extent that business confidential
information is provided, two copies of a non-confidential version must
also be provided in which business confidential information is
summarized or, if necessary, deleted. Comments received, with the
exception of information marked ``business confidential'', will be
available for inspection between Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m and 5:30 p.m
in the Trade Reference and Assistance Center Help Desk, Suite 800M, USA
Trade Information Center, Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, (202) 482-3433.
The Committee will make a determination within 60 calendar days of
the close of the comment period as to whether the United States will
request consultations with China. If the Committee is unable to make a
determination within 60 calendar days, it will cause to be published a
notice in the Federal Register, including the date by which it will
make a determination. If the Committee makes a negative determination,
it will cause this determination and the reasons therefore to be
published in the Federal Register. If the Committee makes an
affirmative determination that imports of Chinese origin cotton
trousers threaten to disrupt the U.S. market, the United States will
request consultations with China with a view to easing or avoiding the
disruption.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 04-24653 Filed 11-1-04; 1:31 pm]