81 FR 30519 - Determination Under the Textile and Apparel Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (“CAFTA-DR Agreement”)

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 95 (May 17, 2016)

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (``CITA'') has determined that certain warp stretch woven rayon blend fabrics, as specified below, are not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The product will be added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30519-30520]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11617]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination Under the Textile and Apparel Commercial 
Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United 
States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR Agreement'')

AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to 
Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement.

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[[Page 30520]]

SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(``CITA'') has determined that certain warp stretch woven rayon blend 
fabrics, as specified below, are not available in commercial quantities 
in a timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The product will be added 
to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted 
quantities.

DATES: Effective May 17, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Goodman, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3651.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON-LINE:  http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/CaftaReqTrack.nsf under ``Approved Requests,'' Reference number: 
199.2016.04.12.Fabric.GDLSKforTangTextiles.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Authority:  The CAFTA-DR Agreement; Section 203(o)(4) of the 
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade 
Agreement Implementation Act (``CAFTA-DR Implementation Act''), 
Public Law 109-53; the Statement of Administrative Action, 
accompanying the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act; and Presidential 
Proclamations 7987 (February 28, 2006) and 7996 (March 31, 2006).

    Background: The CAFTA-DR Agreement provides a list in Annex 3.25 
for fabrics, yarns, and fibers that the Parties to the CAFTA-DR 
Agreement have determined are not available in commercial quantities in 
a timely manner in the territory of any Party. The CAFTA-DR Agreement 
provides that this list may be modified pursuant to Article 3.25.4 and 
3.25.5, when the President of the United States determines that a 
fabric, yarn, or fiber is not available in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner in the territory of any Party. See Annex 3.25 of the 
CAFTA-DR Agreement; see also section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR 
Implementation Act.
    The CAFTA-DR Implementation Act requires the President to establish 
procedures governing the submission of a request and providing 
opportunity for interested entities to submit comments and supporting 
evidence before a commercial availability determination is made. In 
Presidential Proclamations 7987 and 7996, the President delegated to 
CITA the authority under section 203(o)(4) of CAFTA-DR Implementation 
Act for modifying the Annex 3.25 list. Pursuant to this authority, on 
September 15, 2008, CITA published modified procedures it would follow 
in considering requests to modify the Annex 3.25 list of products 
determined to be not commercially available in the territory of any 
Party to CAFTA-DR (Modifications to Procedures for Considering Requests 
Under the Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-
Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, 73 FR 53200) 
(``CITA's procedures'').
    On April 12, 2016, the Chairman of CITA received a request for a 
Commercial Availability determination (``Request'') from Grunfeld, 
Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman, & Klestadt, LLC, on behalf of Tang 
Textiles & Apparel, for certain warp stretch woven rayon blend fabrics. 
On April 14, 2016, in, in accordance with CITA's procedures, CITA 
notified interested parties of the Request, which was posted on the 
dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability proceedings. In 
its notification, CITA advised that any Response with an Offer to 
Supply (``Response'') must be submitted by April 26, 2016, and any 
Rebuttal Comments to a Response must be submitted by May 2, 2016, in 
accordance with sections 6 and 7 of CITA's procedures. No interested 
entity submitted a Response to the Request advising CITA of its 
objection to the Request and its ability to supply the subject product.
    In accordance with section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR 
Implementation Act, and section 8(c)(2) of CITA's procedures, as no 
interested entity submitted a Response objecting to the Request and 
providing an offer to supply the subject product, CITA has determined 
to add the specified fabric to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR 
Agreement.
    The subject product has been added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the 
CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities. A revised list has been 
posted on the dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability 
proceedings.

Specifications: Certain Warp Stretch Woven Rayon Blend Fabrics

Fabric #1: Warp Stretch Woven Rayon/Nylon/Spandex Fabric

HTS classifications: 5516.22.00, 5516.23.00, 5516.24.00
Fiber Content: Rayon: 67-80%; Nylon: 15-35%; Spandex: 2-6%
Yarn Configuration:
    Warp--Nylon filament combined with Spandex filament;
    Filling--Rayon staple
Yarn Denier: Nylon and Spandex of various deniers.
Width: Metric: 139-153cm; (English: 55-60 inches)
Weight: Metric: 220-315 grams per square meter
Thread Count (Density):
    Metric: 30-74 ends per cm (warp) x 27-38 picks per cm (filling)
    English: 76-185 ends per inch (warp) x 70-95 picks per inch 
(filling)
Weave type: Various weaves
Finish/Processing: Of yarns of different colors and/or piece dyed and/
or printed.

Fabric # 2: Warp Stretch Woven Rayon/Polyester/Nylon/Spandex Fabric

HTS classifications: 5407.10.00, 5407.92.20, 5407.93.20, 5407.94.20, 
5516.22.00, 5516.23.00, 5516.24.00;
Fiber Content: Rayon: 30-70%; Polyester: 20-52%; Nylon: 9-35%; Spandex: 
2-6%
Yarn Configuration:
    Warp--Nylon filament, Polyester filament & Spandex filament;
    Filling--Rayon staple combined with Polyester filament
Yarn Denier: Nylon, Polyester and Spandex of various deniers.
Width: Metric: 139-153cm; (English: 55-60 inches)
Weight: Metric: 220-315 grams per square meter
Thread Count (Density):
    Metric: 30-48 ends per cm (warp) x 27-40 picks per cm (filling)
    English: 76-120 ends per inch (warp) x 70-100 picks per inch 
(filling)
Weave type: Various weaves
Finish/Processing: Of yarns of different colors and/or piece dyed and/
or printed.

Joshua Teitelbaum,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2016-11617 Filed 5-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P