80 FR 75998 - Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request Under the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 234 (December 7, 2015)

On November 16, 2015, the Government of the United States received a request from American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) to initiate consultations with the Government of Morocco under Article 4.3.3 of the USMFTA. AEO is requesting that the United States and Morocco consider revising the rules of origin for women's and girls' woven garments to address availability of supply of 100% rayon woven fabric in the territories of the Parties. The President may proclaim a modification to the USMFTA rules of origin for textile and apparel products after reaching an agreement with the Government of Morocco on the modification. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether 100% rayon woven fabric of Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 5408 can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by January 6, 2016 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 234 (Monday, December 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75998-75999]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30756]


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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

December 7, 2015.
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 100% rayon woven fabric.

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SUMMARY: On November 16, 2015, the Government of the United States 
received a request from American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) to initiate 
consultations with the Government of Morocco under Article 4.3.3 of the 
USMFTA. AEO is requesting that the United States and Morocco consider 
revising the rules of origin for women's and girls' woven garments to 
address availability of supply of 100% rayon woven fabric in the 
territories of the Parties. The President may proclaim a modification 
to the USMFTA rules of origin for textile and apparel products after 
reaching an agreement with the Government of Morocco on the 
modification. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in 
particular with regard to whether 100% rayon woven fabric of Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 5408 can be 
supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner. Comments must be submitted by January 6, 2016 to the 
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 
3001, United States Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria D'Andrea, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-1550.

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: Under the USMFTA, except as otherwise provided in the 
USMFTA, the Parties are required to progressively eliminate customs 
duties on originating goods in accordance with their schedules. See 
Article 2.3.2. 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. See Article 4.3.3 of the 
USMFTA. In the consultations, each Party must consider data presented 
by the other Party showing substantial production in its territory of a 
particular fiber, yarn, or fabric. Substantial production has been 
shown if domestic producers are capable of supplying commercial 
quantities of the fiber, yarn, or fabric in a timely manner. See 
Article 4.3.4 of the USMFTA.
    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 the USMFTA after complying with 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).
    On November 16, 2015, the Government of the United States received 
a request from AEO, alleging that 100% rayon woven fabric cannot be 
supplied by the domestic or Moroccan industry in commercial quantities 
in a timely manner and requesting that the United States consider 
whether the USMFTA rule of origin for women's and girls' woven 
garments, classified under HTSUS chapter 62, should be modified to 
allow the use of non-U.S. and non-Moroccan 100% woven rayon fabric 
classified in subheading 5408 of the HTSUS.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether 100% rayon woven fabric described 
above can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be received no later than 
January 6, 2016. Interested persons are invited to submit six copies of 
such comments or information to the Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    CITA will protect any business confidential information that is 
marked business confidential from disclosure to the full extent 
permitted by law. CITA will make available to the public non-
confidential versions of the request and non-confidential versions of 
any public comments received with respect to a request in room 3001 in 
the Herbert Hoover Building, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230. Persons submitting comments on a request are 
encouraged to include a non-

[[Page 75999]]

confidential version and a non-confidential summary.

Joshua Teitelbaum,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2015-30756 Filed 12-4-15; 8:45 am]
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