[Federal Register: October 11, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 195)]
[Notices]
[Page 59045-59046]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11oc05-34]
[[Page 59045]]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Solicitation of Public Comments on Request for Textile and
Apparel Safeguard Action on Imports from China
October 5, 2005.
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 man-made fiber trousers
(Category 647/648).
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SUMMARY: On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from
the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council
of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS, and
UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports
from China of man-made fiber trousers (Category 647/648). They request
that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the
Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World
Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports
of man-made fiber trousers. The current limit on man-made fiber
trousers expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits
public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether
imports from China of man-made fiber trousers are, due to the threat of
market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of
trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005
to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.
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 Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) provides that, if a WTO Member, such as
the United States, believes that imports of Chinese origin textile and
apparel products are, ``due to market disruption, threatening to impede
the orderly development of trade in these products'', it may 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.
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 September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request that an
Accession Agreement textile and apparel safeguard action be reapplied
on imports from China of man-made fiber trousers (Category 647/648).
The Committee has determined that this request provides the information
necessary for the Committee to consider the request in light of the
considerations set forth in the Procedures. The text of the request is
available at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/Safeguard05.htm.
The Committee is soliciting public comments on this request, in
particular with regard to whether there is a threat of disruption to
the U.S. market for man-made fiber trousers and, if so, the role of
Chinese-origin man-made fiber 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 removed on
December 31, 2005: (1) Whether man-made fiber 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 man-made fiber trousers to the United States are likely
to increase substantially and imminently (due to existing unused
production capacity, to capacity that can easily be shifted from the
production of other products to the production of man-made fiber
trousers, or 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 man-made fiber 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 market); (4) The level and the extent of
any recent change in inventories of man-made fiber 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 man-made
fiber trousers, and whether actual or anticipated imports of Chinese-
origin man-made fiber trousers are likely to affect the development and
production efforts of the U.S. man-made fiber trouser industry; and (6)
Whether U.S. managers, retailers, purchasers, importers or other market
participants have recognized Chinese producers of man-made fiber
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 November 10, 2005. 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.
If a comment alleges that there is no threat of market disruption
or that the subject imports are not threatening to cause market
disruption, the Committee will closely review any supporting
information and documentation, such as information about domestic
production or prices of like or directly competitive products.
Particular consideration will be given to comments representing the
views of actual producers in the United States of a like or directly
competitive product.
The Committee will protect any business confidential information
that is marked ``business confidential'' from disclosure to the full
extent permitted
[[Page 59046]]
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 expects to 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, however, 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 man-
made fiber trousers are, due to the threat of market disruption,
threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in these
products, the United States will request consultations with China with
a view to easing or avoiding the disruption in accordance with the
Accession Agreement and the Committee's Procedures.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 05-20410 Filed 10-6-05; 1:38 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S