84 FR 16243 - Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request Under the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement

The Government of the United States received a request from the Government of Morocco dated March 14, 2019, on behalf of GOTTEX SWIMWEAR BRANDS LTD to initiate consultations under Article 4.3.3 of the USMFTA. The Government of Morocco is requesting that the United States and Morocco (``the Parties'') consider revising the rules of origin for women's or girls' swimwear to address availability of supply of certain knit fabric in the territories of the Parties. The President of the United States may proclaim a modification to the USMFTA rules of origin for textile and apparel products after the United States reaches an agreement with the Government of Morocco on a modification under Article 4.3.6 of the USMFTA to address issues of availability of supply of fibers, yarns, or fabrics in the territories of the Parties. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether certain knit fabric can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 75 (Thursday, April 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16243-16244]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07778]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request 
Under the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Request for public comments concerning a request for 
modification of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (USMFTA) rules of 
origin for women's or girls' swimwear made from certain knit fabric.

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SUMMARY: The Government of the United States received a request from 
the Government of Morocco dated March 14, 2019, on behalf of GOTTEX 
SWIMWEAR BRANDS LTD to initiate consultations under Article 4.3.3 of 
the USMFTA. The Government of Morocco is requesting that the United 
States and Morocco (``the Parties'') consider revising the rules of 
origin for women's or girls' swimwear to address availability of supply 
of certain knit fabric in the territories of the Parties. The President 
of the United States may proclaim a modification to the USMFTA rules of 
origin for textile and apparel products after the United States reaches 
an agreement with the Government of Morocco on a modification under 
Article 4.3.6 of the USMFTA to address issues of availability of supply 
of fibers, yarns, or fabrics in the territories of the Parties. CITA 
hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with 
regard to whether certain knit fabric can be supplied by the U.S. 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by May 20, 2019 to the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 30003, 
United States Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Martinich, Office of Textiles 
and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3588.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Authority: Section 203 (j)(2)(B)(i) of the United States--
Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 
note) (USMFTA Implementation Act); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 
1972, as amended.

    Background: Article 4.3.3 of the USMFTA provides that, on the 
request of either Party, the Parties shall consult to consider whether 
the rules of origin applicable to a particular textile or apparel good 
should be revised to address issues of availability of supply of 
fibers, yarns, or fabrics in the territories of the Parties. In the 
consultations, pursuant to Article 4.3.4 of the USMFTA, each Party 
shall consider all data presented by the other Party that demonstrate 
substantial production in its territory of a particular fiber, yarn, or 
fabric. The Parties shall consider that there is substantial production 
if a Party demonstrates that its domestic producers are capable of 
supplying commercial quantities of the fiber, yarn, or fabric in a 
timely manner.
    The USMFTA Implementation Act provides the President with the 
authority to proclaim as part of the HTSUS, modifications to the USMFTA 
rules of origin set out in Annex 4-A of the USMFTA as are necessary to 
implement an agreement with Morocco under Article 4.3.6 of the USMFTA, 
subject to the consultation and layover requirements of Section 104 of 
the USMFTA Implementation Act. See Section 203(j)(2)(B)(i) of the 
USMFTA Implementation Act. Executive Order 11651 established CITA to 
supervise the implementation of textile trade agreements and authorizes 
the Chairman of CITA to take actions or recommend that appropriate 
officials or agencies of the United States take actions necessary to 
implement textile trade agreements. 37 FR 4699 (March 4, 1972).
    The Government of the United States received a request from the 
Government of Morocco dated March 14, 2019, on behalf of GOTTEX 
SWIMWEAR BRANDS LTD, requesting that the United States consider whether 
the USMFTA rule of origin for women's or girls' swimwear classified 
under HTSUS 6112.41 should be modified to allow the use of printed and 
piece-dyed warp knit fabrics of polyester or nylon fibers, containing 
between 6% and 41% elastomeric yarns classified under subheading 
6004.10 of the HTSUS that is not originating under the USMFTA.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether the fabric described above can be 
supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner.

[[Page 16244]]

Comments must be received no later than May 20, 2019. Interested 
persons are invited to submit such comments or information 
electronically to [email protected], and/or in hard copy to: 
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 
30003, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20230.
    If comments include business confidential information, commenters 
must submit a business confidential version in hard copy to the 
Chairman of CITA, and also provide a public version, either in hard 
copy or electronically. CITA will protect any information that is 
marked business confidential from disclosure to the full extent 
permitted by law. All public versions of the comments will be posted on 
OTEXA's website for Commercial Availability proceedings under the 
USMFTA: http://otexa.trade.gov/Morocco_CA.htm.

Lloyd Wood,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2019-07778 Filed 4-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P