81 FR 10596 - 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 81, Issue 40 (March 1, 2016)

Page Range		10596-10596
FR Document		2016-04450

On January 27, 2016, the Government of the United States received a request from the Government of Morocco, on behalf of HTL FASHION to initiate consultations with the Government of Morocco 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 dresses, skirts, and blouses and tops to address availability of supply of 100% viscose woven 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 reaching 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.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 10596]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04450]


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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 100% viscose woven fabric.

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SUMMARY: On January 27, 2016, the Government of the United States 
received a request from the Government of Morocco, on behalf of HTL 
FASHION to initiate consultations with the Government of Morocco 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 dresses, skirts, and blouses and tops to 
address availability of supply of 100% viscose woven 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 reaching 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.

DATES: CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in 
particular with regard to whether 100% viscose woven fabric of 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 
5408.24 can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by March 31, 
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

    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 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).
    On January 27, 2016, the Government of the United States received a 
request from the Government of Morocco dated January 14, 2016, on 
behalf of HTL FASHION, requesting that the United States consider 
whether the USMFTA rule of origin for dresses, skirts, blouses and tops 
classified in HTSUS chapter 62, should be modified to allow the use of 
100% viscose woven fabric classified in subheading 5408.24 of the HTSUS 
that is not originating under the USMFTA.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether 100% viscose 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 March 31, 2016.
    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 30001, 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 comments will be posted on 
OTEXA's Web site for Commercial Availability proceedings under the 
Morocco FTA: http://otexa.trade.gov/Morocco_CA.htm.

Joshua Teitelbaum,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2016-04450 Filed 2-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P

10596 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices

Statutory Authority: Integrated Coastal and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: by the U.S. domestic industry in
Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 commercial quantities in a timely
U.S.C. 3601–3610). Authority
manner. Comments must be received no
Zdenka S. Willis, Section 203 (j)(2)(B)(i) of the United later than March 31, 2016.
Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing
States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 Interested persons are invited to
System. submit such comments or information
[FR Doc. 2016–04484 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am]
note) (USMFTA Implementation Act);
Executive Order 11651 of March 3, electronically to OTEXA_MoroccoFTA@
BILLING CODE P
1972, as amended. trade.gov, and/or in hard copy to:
Chairman, Committee for the
Background Implementation of Textile Agreements,
COMMITTEE FOR THE Article 4.3.3 of the USMFTA provides Room 30001, U.S. Department of
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE that, on the request of either Party, the Commerce, 14th and Constitution
AGREEMENTS Parties shall consult to consider Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.
whether the rules of origin applicable to If comments include business
Request for Public Comment on a a particular textile or apparel good
Commercial Availability Request Under confidential information, commenters
should be revised to address issues of must submit a business confidential
the U.S-Morocco Free Trade availability of supply of fibers, yarns, or
Agreement version in hard copy to the Chairman of
fabrics in the territories of the Parties. In
CITA, and also provide a public version,
AGENCY: Committee for the the consultations, pursuant to Article
either in hard copy or electronically.
Implementation of Textile Agreements 4.3.4 of the USMFTA, each Party shall
CITA will protect any information that
(CITA). consider data presented by the other
Party that demonstrate substantial is marked business confidential from
ACTION: Request for public comments disclosure to the full extent permitted
concerning a request for modification of production in its territory of a particular
fiber, yarn, or fabric. The Parties shall by law. All public versions of comments
the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement will be posted on OTEXA’s Web site for
(USMFTA) rules of origin for 100% consider that there is substantial
production if a Party demonstrates that Commercial Availability proceedings
viscose woven fabric. under the Morocco FTA: http://
its domestic producers are capable of
SUMMARY: On January 27, 2016, the supplying commercial quantities of the otexa.trade.gov/Morocco_CA.htm.
Government of the United States fiber, yarn, or fabric in a timely manner. Joshua Teitelbaum,
received a request from the Government The USMFTA Implementation Act
of Morocco, on behalf of HTL FASHION Chairman, Committee for the Implementation
provides the President with the of Textile Agreements.
to initiate consultations with the authority to proclaim as part of the
Government of Morocco under Article [FR Doc. 2016–04450 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am]
HTSUS, modifications to the USMFTA
4.3.3 of the USMFTA. The Government rules of origin set out in Annex 4–A of BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P
of Morocco is requesting that the United the USMFTA as are necessary to
States and Morocco (‘‘the Parties’’) implement an agreement with Morocco
consider revising the rules of origin for under article 4.3.6 of the USMFTA,
dresses, skirts, and blouses and tops to subject to the consultation and layover DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
address availability of supply of 100% requirements of Section 104 of the
viscose woven fabric in the territories of USMFTA Implementation Act. See Office of the Secretary
the Parties. The President of the United Section 203(j)(2)(B)(i) of the USMFTA
States may proclaim a modification to Notice of Intent To Grant an Exclusive
Implementation Act. Executive Order
the USMFTA rules of origin for textile License; Nguran Corporation;
11651 established CITA to supervise the
and apparel products after reaching an Correction
implementation of textile trade
agreement with the Government of agreements and authorizes the
Morocco on a modification under AGENCY: National Security Agency, DoD.
Chairman of CITA to take actions or
Article 4.3.6 of the USMFTA to address recommend that appropriate officials or ACTION: Notice; correction.
issues of availability of supply of fibers, agencies of the United States take
yarns, or fabrics in the territories of the actions necessary to implement textile SUMMARY: On Friday, February 5, 2016
Parties. trade agreements. 37 FR 4699 (March 4, (81 FR 6244), the Department of Defense
DATES: CITA hereby solicits public 1972). published a notice titled ‘‘Notice of
comments on this request, in particular On January 27, 2016, the Government Intent to Grant an Exclusive License;
with regard to whether 100% viscose of the United States received a request Nguran Corporation.’’ Subsequent to the
woven fabric of Harmonized Tariff from the Government of Morocco dated publication of the notice, DoD realized
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) January 14, 2016, on behalf of HTL that the patent number cited in the
subheading 5408.24 can be supplied by FASHION, requesting that the United SUMMARY section was not correct. This
the U.S. domestic industry in States consider whether the USMFTA notice corrects the patent number.
commercial quantities in a timely rule of origin for dresses, skirts, blouses
manner. Comments must be submitted and tops classified in HTSUS chapter DATES:This correction is effective
by March 31, 2016 to the Chairman, 62, should be modified to allow the use March 1, 2016.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Committee for the Implementation of of 100% viscose woven fabric classified FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United in subheading 5408.24 of the HTSUS
States Department of Commerce, Aaron Siegel, 571–372–0488.
that is not originating under the
Washington, DC 20230. USMFTA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On page
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CITA is soliciting public comments 6244, in the SUMMARY section, in the
Maria D’Andrea, Office of Textiles and regarding this request, particularly with second column, in the third and fourth
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, respect to whether 100% viscose woven lines from the top, ‘‘No. 14/120,606’’
(202) 482–1550. fabric described above can be supplied should read ‘‘No. 14/120,626.’’

VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:18 Feb 29, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\01MRN1.SGM 01MRN1

Document Created: 2018-02-02 14:59:43
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 14:59:43

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Request for public comments concerning a request for modification of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (USMFTA) rules of origin for 100% viscose woven fabric.
Dates		CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether 100% viscose woven fabric of Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 5408.24 can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by March 31, 2016 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United States Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.
Contact		Maria D'Andrea, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-1550.
FR Citation		81 FR 10596