81 FR 9433 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Interim Procedures for Considering Requests From the Public for Textile and Apparel Safeguard Actions on Imports From Panama

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 37 (February 25, 2016)

Page Range		9433-9434
FR Document		2016-03972

On behalf of the Committee for the Implementation for Textile Agreements (CITA), the Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9433-9434]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03972]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Interim 
Procedures for Considering Requests From the Public for Textile and 
Apparel Safeguard Actions on Imports From Panama

AGENCY: International Trade Administration (ITA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On behalf of the Committee for the Implementation for Textile 
Agreements (CITA), the Department of Commerce, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Laurie Mease, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Telephone: 202-482-2043, Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Title III, Subtitle B, Section 321 through Section 328 of the 
United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (the 
``Act'') [Pub. L. 112-43] implements the textile and apparel safeguard 
provisions, provided for in Article 3.24 of the United States-Panama 
Trade Promotion Agreement (the ``Agreement''). This safeguard mechanism 
applies when, as a result of the elimination of a customs duty under 
the Agreement, a Panamanian textile or apparel article is being 
imported into the United States in such increased quantities, in 
absolute terms or relative to the domestic market for that article, and 
under such conditions as to cause serious damage or actual threat 
thereof to a U.S. industry producing a like or directly competitive 
article. In these circumstances, Article 3.24 permits the United States 
to increase duties on the imported article from Panama to a level that 
does not exceed the lesser of the prevailing U.S. normal trade 
relations (NTR)/most-favored-nation (MFN) duty rate for the article or 
the U.S. NTR/MFN duty rate in effect on the day the Agreement entered 
into force.
    The Statement of Administrative Action accompanying the Act 
provides that the Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements (CITA) will issue procedures for requesting such safeguard 
measures, for making its determinations under Section 322(a) of the 
Act, and for providing relief under section 322(b) of the Act.
    In Proclamation No. 8894 (77 FR 66507, November 5, 2012), the 
President delegated to CITA his authority under Subtitle B of Title III 
of the Act with respect to textile and apparel safeguard measures.
    CITA must collect information in order to determine whether a 
domestic textile or apparel industry is being adversely impacted by 
imports of these products from Panama, thereby allowing CITA to take 
corrective action to protect the viability of the domestic textile 
industry, subject to section 322(b) of the Act.
    Pursuant to Section 321(a) of the Act and Paragraph (7) of 
Presidential Proclamation 8894, an interested party in the U.S. 
domestic textile and apparel industry may file a request for a textile 
and apparel safeguard action with CITA. Consistent with longstanding 
CITA practice in considering textile safeguard actions, CITA will 
consider an interested party to be an entity (which may be a trade 
association, firm, certified or recognized union, or group of workers) 
that is representative of either: (A) A domestic producer or producers 
of an article that is like or directly competitive with the subject 
Panamanian textile or apparel article; or (B) a domestic producer or 
producers of a component used in the production of an article that is 
like or directly competitive with the subject Panamanian textile or 
apparel article.
    In order for a request to be considered, the requestor must provide 
the following information in support of a claim that a textile or 
apparel article from Panama is being imported into the United States in 
such increased quantities, in absolute terms or relative to the 
domestic market for that article, and under such conditions as to cause 
serious damage or actual threat thereof, to a U.S. industry producing 
an article that is like or directly competitive with the imported 
article: (1) Name and description of the imported article concerned; 
(2) import data

[[Page 9434]]

demonstrating that imports of a Panamanian origin textile or apparel 
article that are like or directly competitive with the articles 
produced by the domestic industry concerned are increasing in absolute 
terms or relative to the domestic market for that article; (3) U.S. 
domestic production of the like or directly competitive articles of 
U.S. origin indicating the nature and extent of the serious damage or 
actual threat thereof, along with an affirmation that to the best of 
the requestor's knowledge, the data represent substantially all of the 
domestic production of the like or directly competitive article(s) of 
U.S. origin; (4) imports from Panama as a percentage of the domestic 
market of the like or directly competitive article; and (5) all data 
available to the requestor showing changes in productivity, utilization 
of capacity, inventories, exports, wages, employment, domestic prices, 
profits, and investment, and any other information, relating to the 
existence of serious damage or actual threat thereof caused by imports 
from Panama to the industry producing the like or directly competitive 
article that is the subject of the request. To the extent that such 
information is not available, the requestor should provide best 
estimates and the basis therefore.
    If CITA determines that the request provides the information 
necessary for it to be considered, CITA will publish a notice in the 
Federal Register seeking public comments regarding the request. The 
comment period shall be 30 calendar days. The notice will include a 
summary of the request. Any interested party may submit information to 
rebut, clarify, or correct public comments submitted by any interested 
party.
    CITA will make a determination on any request it considers within 
60 calendar days of the close of the comment period. If CITA is unable 
to make a determination within 60 calendar days, it will publish a 
notice in the Federal Register, including the date it will make a 
determination.
    If a determination under Section 322(a) of the Act is affirmative, 
CITA may provide tariff relief to a U.S. industry to the extent 
necessary to remedy or prevent serious damage or actual threat thereof 
and to facilitate adjustment by the domestic industry to import 
competition. The import tariff relief is effective beginning on the 
date that CITA's affirmative determination is published in the Federal 
Register.
    Entities submitting requests, responses or rebuttals to CITA may 
submit both a public and confidential version of their submissions. If 
the request is accepted, the public version will be posted on the 
dedicated U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement textile safeguards 
section of the Office of Textile and Apparel (OTEXA) Web site. The 
confidential version of the request, responses or rebuttals will not be 
shared with the public as it may contain business confidential 
information. Entities submitting responses or rebuttals may use the 
public version of the request as a basis for responses.

II. Method of Collection

    When an interested party files a request for a textile and apparel 
safeguard action with CITA, ten copies of any such request must be 
provided in a paper format. If business confidential information is 
provided, two copies of a non-confidential version must also be 
provided. If CITA determines that the request provides the necessary 
information to be considered, it will publish a Federal Register notice 
seeking public comments on the request.
    To the extent business confidential information is provided, a non-
confidential version must also be provided. Any interested party may 
submit information to rebut, clarify, or correct public comments 
submitted by any interested party.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0625-0274.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6 (1 for Request; 5 for Comments).
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours for a Request; and 4 hours for 
each Comment.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 24.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $960.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 19, 2016.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-03972 Filed 2-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 37 / Thursday, February 25, 2016 / Notices 9433

specifications and the production DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE from Panama to a level that does not
capabilities of Panamanian and U.S. exceed the lesser of the prevailing U.S.
textile producers to determine whether International Trade Administration normal trade relations (NTR)/most-
certain fabrics, yarns, or fibers are favored-nation (MFN) duty rate for the
available in commercial quantities in a Proposed Information Collection; article or the U.S. NTR/MFN duty rate
timely manner in the United States or Comment Request; Interim Procedures in effect on the day the Agreement
Panama, subject to Section 203(o) of the for Considering Requests From the entered into force.
Act. Public for Textile and Apparel The Statement of Administrative
Safeguard Actions on Imports From Action accompanying the Act provides
II. Method of Collection Panama that the Committee for the
Participants in a commercial AGENCY: International Trade Implementation of Textile Agreements
availability proceeding must submit Administration (ITA). (CITA) will issue procedures for
public versions of their Requests, requesting such safeguard measures, for
ACTION: Notice.
Responses or Rebuttals electronically making its determinations under
(via email) for posting on OTEXA’s Web SUMMARY: On behalf of the Committee Section 322(a) of the Act, and for
site. Confidential versions of those for the Implementation for Textile providing relief under section 322(b) of
submissions which contain business Agreements (CITA), the Department of the Act.
confidential information must be Commerce, as part of its continuing In Proclamation No. 8894 (77 FR
delivered in hard copy to the Office of effort to reduce paperwork and 66507, November 5, 2012), the President
Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) at the respondent burden, invites the general delegated to CITA his authority under
U.S. Department of Commerce. public and other Federal agencies to Subtitle B of Title III of the Act with
take this opportunity to comment on respect to textile and apparel safeguard
III. Data measures.
proposed and/or continuing information
OMB Control Number: 0625–0273. collections, as required by the CITA must collect information in
Form Number(s): N/A. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. order to determine whether a domestic
Type of Review: Regular submission. textile or apparel industry is being
DATES: Written comments must be
Affected Public: Business or for-profit adversely impacted by imports of these
submitted on or before April 25, 2016.
organizations. products from Panama, thereby allowing
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments CITA to take corrective action to protect
Estimated Number of Respondents: to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
16. the viability of the domestic textile
Paperwork Clearance Officer, industry, subject to section 322(b) of the
Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
per Request, 2 hours per Response, and Act.
14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Pursuant to Section 321(a) of the Act
1 hour per Rebuttal. Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Estimated Total Annual Burden and Paragraph (7) of Presidential
Internet at jjessup@doc.gov). Proclamation 8894, an interested party
Hours: 89.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: in the U.S. domestic textile and apparel
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $5,340. Requests for additional information or industry may file a request for a textile
copies of the information collection and apparel safeguard action with CITA.
IV. Request for Comments instrument and instructions should be Consistent with longstanding CITA
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether directed to Laurie Mease, Office of practice in considering textile safeguard
the proposed collection of information Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department actions, CITA will consider an
is necessary for the proper performance of Commerce, Telephone: 202–482– interested party to be an entity (which
of the functions of the agency, including 2043, Email: Laurie.Mease@trade.gov. may be a trade association, firm,
whether the information shall have SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: certified or recognized union, or group
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the of workers) that is representative of
I. Abstract either: (A) A domestic producer or
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the Title III, Subtitle B, Section 321 producers of an article that is like or
proposed collection of information; (c) through Section 328 of the United directly competitive with the subject
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and States-Panama Trade Promotion Panamanian textile or apparel article; or
clarity of the information to be Agreement Implementation Act (the (B) a domestic producer or producers of
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the ‘‘Act’’) [Pub. L. 112–43] implements the a component used in the production of
burden of the collection of information textile and apparel safeguard provisions, an article that is like or directly
on respondents, including through the provided for in Article 3.24 of the competitive with the subject
use of automated collection techniques United States-Panama Trade Promotion Panamanian textile or apparel article.
or other forms of information Agreement (the ‘‘Agreement’’). This In order for a request to be
technology. safeguard mechanism applies when, as considered, the requestor must provide
Comments submitted in response to a result of the elimination of a customs the following information in support of
this notice will be summarized and/or duty under the Agreement, a a claim that a textile or apparel article
included in the request for OMB Panamanian textile or apparel article is from Panama is being imported into the
approval of this information collection; being imported into the United States in United States in such increased
they also will become a matter of public such increased quantities, in absolute quantities, in absolute terms or relative
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

record. terms or relative to the domestic market to the domestic market for that article,
for that article, and under such and under such conditions as to cause
Dated: February 19, 2016. conditions as to cause serious damage or serious damage or actual threat thereof,
Glenna Mickelson, actual threat thereof to a U.S. industry to a U.S. industry producing an article
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief producing a like or directly competitive that is like or directly competitive with
Information Officer. article. In these circumstances, Article the imported article: (1) Name and
[FR Doc. 2016–03971 Filed 2–24–16; 8:45 am] 3.24 permits the United States to description of the imported article
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P increase duties on the imported article concerned; (2) import data

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:07 Feb 24, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\25FEN1.SGM 25FEN1

Document Created: 2018-02-02 14:35:03
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 14:35:03

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		Notice.
Dates		Written comments must be submitted on or before April 25, 2016.
Contact		Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Laurie Mease, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, Telephone: 202-482-2043, Email: [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 9433

81 FR 9433 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Interim Procedures for Considering Requests From the Public for Textile and Apparel Safeguard Actions on Imports From Panama

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEInternational Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 37 (February 25, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration