81 FR 22238 - 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 73 (April 15, 2016)

The Government of the United States received a request from the Government ofMorocco, submitted on March 9, 2016, and updated on April 1, 2016, on behalf of CROSSING 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 pants, skirts, jackets, shirts and casual dresses to address availability of supply of certain woven fabrics 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 woven fabrics can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22238-22239]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08633]


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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 pants, skirts, jackets, shirts, and casual dresses made from 
certain woven fabrics.

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SUMMARY: The Government of the United States received a request from 
the Government ofMorocco, submitted on March 9, 2016, and updated on 
April 1, 2016, on behalf of CROSSING 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 pants, skirts, jackets, shirts and casual 
dresses to address availability of supply of certain woven fabrics 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 
woven fabrics can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by May 16, 2016 to the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 30003, 
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 AgreementImplementation 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 
demonstratesubstantial 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, submitted on March 9, 2016, and updated on April 
1, 2016, on behalf of CROSSING, requesting that the United States 
consider whether the USMFTA rule of origin for pants, skirts, jackets, 
shirts, and casual dresses classified in HTSUS subheading 6204.52 and 
6206.40 should be modified to allow the use of certain woven fabrics 
that are not originating under the USMFTA. The fabrics subject to this 
request are:
    Fabric 1: 100% lyocell classified in subheading 5516.11 and 5516.12 
of the HTSUS;
    Fabric 2: Lyocell/cotton classified in subheading 5516.41, 5516.42, 
and 5516.43 of the HTSUS;
    Fabric 3: Cotton/polyester classified in subheading 5210.49 and 
5211.42 of the HTSUS;
    Fabric 4: Cotton/polyester/elastane classified in subheading 
5210.49 and 5211.4210 of the HTSUS;
    Fabric 5: Corduroy with cotton classified in subheading 5801.22 of 
the HTSUS; and
    Fabric 6: Corduroy polyester classified in subheading 5801.32 of 
the HTSUS.
    CITA is soliciting public comments regarding this request, 
particularly with respect to whether the fabrics 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 May 16, 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,

[[Page 22239]]

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 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. 2016-08633 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P