[Federal Register: April 8, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 67)]
[Notices]
[Page 17978-17979]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08ap05-30]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Solicitation of Public Comments Regarding Possible Safeguard
Action on Imports from China of Cotton Knit shirts and Blouses
April 6, 2005.
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (the
Committee)
ACTION: Solicitation of public comments regarding possible safeguard
action on imports from China of cotton knit shirts and blouses,
Category 338/339.
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SUMMARY: The Committee has decided, on its own initiative, to consider
whether imports of Chinese origin cotton knit shirts and blouses,
Category 338/339 are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede
the orderly development of trade in these products. The Committee is
soliciting public comments to assist it in considering this issue and
in determining whether safeguard action is appropriate.
Comments may be submitted by any interested person. Comments must
be received no later than May 9, 2005.
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 (Accession Agreement) 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, in the
context of this request, provide China with a detailed factual
statement showing (1) the existence 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 request.
[[Page 17979]]
On April 4, 2005, the Committee decided, on its own initiative, to
consider whether imports of Chinese origin cotton knit shirts and
blouses, Category 338/339 are, due to the existence of market
disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in
these products. See 68 FR 27787, May 21, 2003; 68 FR 494440, August 18,
2003.
The Committee is soliciting public comments on this matter. It
invites the public to provide information and analyses to assist the
Committee in considering whether market disruption exists, and, if so,
the role of imports from China in that disruption. Such information may
include the following: recent and historical data regarding the U.S.
market for cotton knit shirts and blouses (including import and U.S.
production data); a description of how, if at all, Chinese origin
cotton knit shirts and blouses have affected the domestic industry,
such as the effects of imports from China on prices in the United
States; and any other pertinent information. Any member of the public
who provides information to the Committee should also indicate the
sources from which information provided was obtained.
In providing comments, the public may wish to consider the
following data which are available at website: http://otexa.ita.doc.gov:
Category 338/339, Cotton knit shirts and blouses (1,000 dozen)
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Imports from Imports from China's Share
Period the World China of Imports (%)
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2002 265,158 2,848 1.1
2003 309,038 2,602 0.8
2004 322,212 2,816 0.9
Year-to-date March 2004 83,663 518 0.6
Year-to-date March 2005 98,493 7,040 7.1
\1\
Year-ending March 2004 310,814 2,448 0.8
Year-ending March 2005 337,042 9,338 2.8
\1\
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\1\ Includes preliminary data for 2005.
For purposes of clarification, the Committee notes this is not a
solicitation for comments regarding any possible ``threat'' of market
disruption.
Comments may be submitted by any interested person. Comments must
be received no later than May 9, 2005. Interested persons are invited
to submit ten copies of such comments to the Chairman, Committee for
the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3100A, 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 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
cotton knit shirts and blouses, Category 338/339 are, due to 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 such market disruption in accordance with the
Accession Agreement and with the Committee's procedures.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 05-7254 Filed 4-06-05; 2:34 pm]