Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 210 / Monday, November 1, 2004 / Notices 63371

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 102604C]

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA) and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands 

(BS/AI) groundfish plan teams will meet 

in Seattle, WA.

DATES: The meetings will be held on 

November 15–19, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

The meetings will be held at the 

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 

Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 4, Room 

2039 (BS/AI Plan Team) and Room 2076 

(GOA Plan Team), Seattle, WA.

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane 

DiCosimo, Diana Stram, NPFMC, 

telephone: 907–271–2809.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meetings will begin at 1 p.m. on 

Monday, November 15, and continue 

through Friday November 19.

Agenda: The Teams will prepare the 

final Economic Stock Assessment 

Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report, 

Ecosystem chapter, GOA and BSAI 

Groundfish SAFE reports and 

recommend proposed Specifications for 

2005 fisheries.

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before these groups for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during these meetings. Action 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically identified in this notice and 

any issues arising after publication of 

this notice that require emergency 

action under section 305(c) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the Council’s intent to take final action 

to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Gail Bendixen, 

907–271–2809, at least 5 working days 

prior to the meeting date.

Dated: October 27, 2004.

Alan D. Risenhoover,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. E4–2934 Filed 10–29–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 102604E]

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) Ad 

Hoc Groundfish Trawl Individual Quota 

Analytical Team (TIQ Analytical Team) 

will hold a working meeting which is 

open to the public.

DATES: The TIQ Analytical Team 

working meeting will begin Wednesday, 

November 17, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. and may 

go into the evening if necessary to 

complete business for the day. The 

meeting will reconvene from 8 a.m. and 

continue until business for the day is 

complete on Tuesday, November 18, 

2004.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the National Marine Fisheries Service in 

the Regional Director’s Conference 

Room, Building 1, 7600 Sand Point 

Way, Seattle, WA 98115; telephone: 

(206) 526–6150.

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 200, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Jim Seger, Staff Officer (Economist), 

telephone: 503–820–2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the TIQ Analytical Team 

meeting is to review the Council action 

from the November 2004 Council 

meeting and plan the next analytical 

tasks.

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the TIQ Analytical Team 

meeting agenda may come before the 

group for discussion, those issues may 

not be the subject of formal committee 

action during these meetings. TIQ 

Analytical Team action will be 

restricted to those issues specifically 

listed in this notice and to any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

requiring emergency action under 

Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the group’s intent to take 

final action to address the emergency.

Entry to the NMFS facilities requires 

identification with a photograph (such 

as a student ID, state driver’s license, 

etc.). A security guard will review the 

identification an issue a Visitor’s Badge 

valid only for the date of the meeting.

Special Accommodations

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Ms. 

Carolyn Porter at 503–820–2280 at least 

5 days prior to the meeting date.

Dated: October 27, 2004.

Alan D. Risenhoover,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. E4–2932 Filed 10–29–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

COMMITTEE FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE 

AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Request for Bilateral 

Textile Consultations with the 

Government of the People’s Republic 

of China and the Establishment of an 

Import Limit for Cotton, Wool, and 

Man-Made Fiber Socks in Category 

332/432 and 632 Part, Produced or 

Manufactured in the People’s Republic 

of China

October 28, 2004.

AGENCY: Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements 

(Committee).

ACTION: Notice

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 29, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross 

Arnold, International Trade Specialist, 

Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, (202) 482-

4212. For information on the quota 

status of these limits, refer to the Bureau 

of Customs and Border Protection 

website (http://www.cbp.gov), or call 

(202) 344-2650. For information on 

embargoes and quota re-openings, refer 

to the Office of Textiles and Apparel 

website at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural 

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); 

Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as 

amended.

63372 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 210 / Monday, November 1, 2004 / Notices 

On October 29, 2004, as provided for 

under paragraph 242 of the Report of the 

Working Party on the Accession of 

China to the World Trade Organization 

(Accession Agreement), the United 

States requested consultations with the 

Government of the People’s Republic of 

China with respect to imports of 

Chinese origin cotton, wool, and manmade fiber socks in Category 332/432 

and 632 part (‘‘socks’’). In accordance 

with paragraph 242 of the Accession 

Agreement and the procedures set forth 

by the Committee on May 21, 2003 (68 

FR 27787), as clarified on August 18, 

2003 (68 FR 49440), the United States is 

establishing a twelve-month limit on 

socks from China, beginning on October 

29, 2004, and extending through 

October 28, 2005 at a level of 42,433,990 

dozen pairs.

Paragraph 242 of the Accession 

Agreement allows World Trade 

Organization Members that believe 

imports of Chinese origin textile and 

apparel products are, due to market 

disruption, threatening to impede the 

orderly development of trade in these 

products to request consultations with 

the People’s Republic of China with a 

view to easing or avoiding such market 

disruption. Upon receipt of the request, 

the People’s Republic of China has 

agreed to hold its shipments to a level 

no greater than 7.5 percent (6 percent 

for wool product categories) above the 

amount entered during the first 12 

months of the most recent 14 months 

preceding the request for consultations. 

The Member requesting consultations 

may implement such a limit. Consistent 

with paragraph 242, consultations with 

the People’s Republic of China will be 

held within 30 days of receipt of the 

request for consultations, and every 

effort will be made to reach agreement 

on a mutually satisfactory solution 

within 90 days of receipt of the request 

for consultations. If agreement on a 

different limit is reached, the Committee 

will issue a Federal Register Notice 

containing a directive to the Bureau of 

Customs and Border Protection to 

implement the negotiated limit.

On June 28, 2004, the Committee 

received a request from the Domestic 

Manufacturers Committee of The 

Hosiery Association, the American 

Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, 

the National Council of Textile 

Organizations, and the National Textile 

Association alleging that imports from 

the People’s Republic of China of socks 

are, due to market disruption, 

threatening to impede the orderly 

development of trade in this product, 

and requesting that an Accession 

Agreement textile and apparel safeguard 

action be taken on imports of socks. The 

Committee determined that this request 

provided the information necessary for 

the Committee to consider the request, 

and, on July 22, 2004, the Committee 

solicited public comments on the 

request (69 FR 43807). This public 

comment period ended on August 23, 

2004. The Committee determined that 

imports of Chinese origin socks are, due 

to market disruption and the threat of 

market disruption, threatening to 

impede the orderly development of 

trade in socks, and that imports of socks 

from China play a significant role in the 

existence of and threat of market 

disruption. A summary statement of the 

reasons and justifications for the U.S. 

request for consultations concerning 

imports of socks from the People’s 

Republic of China follows this notice.

Paragraph 2.B. of the U.S.-China 

Textile Visa Arrangement provides that 

if additional categories become subject 

to import quotas, those categories shall 

be automatically included in the 

coverage of the Visa Arrangement. This 

Visa Arrangement was notified to the 

World Trade Organization Textiles 

Monitoring Body as an agreed 

administrative arrangement on May 21, 

2002. Consequently, the United States 

will require that shipments of Chinese 

socks be accompanied by an export visa 

and Electronic Visa Information System 

(ELVIS) transmission issued by the 

Government of the People’s Republic of 

China. The United States considers that 

implementation of the visa/ELVIS 

requirement is in the mutual interest of 

both countries. Goods in Category 332 

shall remain subject to the Group II 

limit, and will continue to be subject to 

export visa and ELVIS requirements. If 

exported on or after January 1, 2005, 

goods in Category 332 shall be subject 

only to the limit established in the 

directive that accompanies this notice. 

In order to provide a period for 

adjustment, the United States will allow 

shipments of goods in Categories 432 

and 632 part that are not accompanied 

by an export visa and an ELVIS 

transmission to enter the United States 

if exported prior to November 28, 2004. 

However, shipments exported from 

China on or after November 28, 2004 

must be accompanied by an export visa 

and ELVIS transmission issued by the 

Government of the People’s Republic of 

China, and shipments without an export 

visa and ELVIS transmission will be 

denied entry. Socks in Category 632 

(632 part) are in HTS numbers 

6115.93.6020, 6115.93.9020, 

6115.99.1420 and 6115.99.1820. They 

may be visaed as ‘‘cat. 632’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/

432/632.‘‘, but not at ‘‘632pt.’’ Similarly, 

socks in Category 332 may be visaed as 

‘‘cat. 332’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/432/632,’’ and 

socks in Category 432 may be visaed as 

‘‘cat. 432’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/432/632.’’

A description of the textile and 

apparel categories in terms of 

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 

United States numbers is available in 

the CORRELATION: Textile and 

Apparel Category with the Harmonized 

Tariff Schedule of the United States (see 

Federal Register notice 69 FR 4926, 

published on February 2, 2004). Also 

see 68 FR 65445, published on 

November 20, 2003.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile 

Agreements

October 28, 2004.

Commissioner,

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, 

Washington, DC 20229.

Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to Section 

204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 

amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); and Executive 

Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, 

you are directed to prohibit, effective on 

October 29, 2004, entry into the United States 

for consumption and withdrawal from 

warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, 

and man-made fiber socks in Category 332/

432/632pt., produced or manufactured in the 

People’s Republic of China and exported 

during the twelve-month period beginning on 

October 29, 2004, and extending through 

October 28, 2005, in excess of 42,433,990 

dozen pairs.

Paragraph 2.B. of the U.S.-China Textile 

Visa Arrangement provides that if additional 

categories become subject to import quotas, 

those categories shall be automatically 

included in the coverage of the Visa 

Arrangement. Shipments of Chinese origin 

cotton, wool, and man-made fiber socks in 

Category 332/432/632pt. 1 must be 

accompanied by an export visa and 

Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) 

transmission issued by the Government of 

the People’s Republic of China. Goods in 

Category 332 shall remain subject to the 

Group II limit, and will continue to be 

subject to export visa and ELVIS 

requirements. If exported on or after January 

1, 2005, goods in Category 332 shall be 

subject only to the limit established in this 

directive. In order to provide a period for 

adjustment, the United States will allow 

shipments of goods in Categories 432 and 

632pt. that are not accompanied by an export 

visa and an ELVIS transmission to enter the 

United States if exported prior to November 

28, 2004. However, shipments exported from 

China on and after November 28, 2004 must 

be accompanied by an export visa and ELVIS 

transmission issued by the Government of 

the People’s Republic of China, and 

shipments without an export visa and ELVIS 

transmission will be denied entry. Socks in 

Category 632 (632pt.) are in HTS numbers 

6115.93.6020, 6115.93.9020, 6115.99.1420 

and 6115.99.1820. They may be visaed as 

‘‘cat. 632’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/432/632.‘‘, but not at 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 210 / Monday, November 1, 2004 / Notices 63373

‘‘632pt.’’ Similarly, socks in Category 332 

may be visaed as ‘‘cat. 332’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/432/

632,’’ and socks in Category 432 may be 

visaed as ‘‘cat. 432’’ or ‘‘cat. 332/432/632.’’

Products which have been exported to the 

United States prior to October 29, 2004, shall 

not be subject to the limit established in this 

directive.

In carrying out the above directions, the 

Commissioner should construe entry into the 

United States for consumption to include 

entry for consumption into the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The 

Committee for the Implementation of Textile 

Agreements has determined that this action 

falls within the foreign affairs exception of 

the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 

553(a)(1).

Sincerely,

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements.

1Category 632pt. only HTS numbers 

6115.93.6020, 6115.93.9020, 6115.99.1420 

and 6115.99.1820.

SUMMARY OF THE REASONS AND 

JUSTIFICATIONS FOR U.S. REQUEST FOR 

CONSULTATIONS WITH CHINA 

PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 242 OF THE 

REPORT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON 

THE ACCESSION OF CHINA TO THE 

WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Cotton, Man-made Fiber, and Wool Socks

Merged Category 332/432 and 632 Part

The United States believes that imports of 

Chinese origin cotton, man-made fiber and 

wool socks (‘‘socks’’) are, due to market 

disruption, threatening to impede the orderly 

development of trade in socks, and that 

imports from China play a significant role in 

the existence of market disruption. Further, 

the United States believes that imports of 

Chinese origin socks are, due to the threat of 

market disruption, threatening to impede the 

orderly development of trade in socks, and 

that imports of socks from China play a 

significant role in the threat of market 

disruption. Either finding supports a request 

for consultations with the Government of the 

People’s Republic of China under Paragraph 

242 of the Report of the Working Party on the 

Accession of China to the World Trade 

Organization (‘‘Paragraph 242’’). The 

following facts, and others contained in this 

Statement, support these beliefs:

U.S. Imports from China Are Increasing 

Rapidly in Absolute Terms. U.S. imports of 

socks from China increased from 985,619 

dozen pairs in 2001 to 21,877,024 dozen 

pairs in 2003 (an increase of over 2,100 

percent), and to 42,491,164 dozen pairs in 

the twelve-month period ending August 2004 

(an increase of over 4,200 percent from the 

2001 level).

U.S. Imports from China Are Increasing 

Rapidly Relative to Other Imports. In 2001, 

China was the 12th largest exporter of socks 

to the United States. By the year ending 

August 2004 China became the largest 

supplier to the U.S. of socks.

Chinese Average Unit Values Are Well 

Below Values from Other Countries. In 2001, 

the average unit value of U.S. sock imports 

from China was US$11.54 per dozen pair, 

compared to a ‘‘rest of world’’ import average 

unit value of US$8.68 per dozen pair. By 

2003, the average unit value of imports of 

socks from China fell to $5.11 per dozen pair, 

compared to $7.51 per dozen pair for the rest 

of the world. In the year ending August 2004, 

the average unit value of imports of socks 

from China fell further to US$4.92 per dozen 

pair, compared to US$7.71 per dozen pair for 

‘‘rest of world’’ imports.

U.S. Imports from the World Are 

Increasing Rapidly in Absolute Terms. U.S. 

imports of socks from all sources into the 

United States, excluding socks containing 

U.S. components that were imported under 

outward processing programs, increased from 

51,014,517 dozen pairs in 2001 to 98,976,106 

dozen pairs in 2003, (an increase of 94 

percent), and to 119,805,665 dozen pairs in 

the year ending August (an increase of 135 

percent from the 2001 level.)

The U.S. Socks Industry is Vulnerable to 

Increasing Imports. U.S. production plus 

outward processing of socks fell 13.2 percent 

from 2001 to 2003 (from 246,464,000 dozen 

pairs to 214,020,000 dozen pairs), while the 

share of the market held by U.S. producers 

fell by 14.5 percentage points (from 82.9 

percent to 68.4 percent) during this period. 

The number of employees and the number of 

establishments in the sock industry also fell 

significantly during this period. 

U.S. Imports from China Are Likely to 

Increase Further in the Near Future. China’s 

capacity to produce apparel, including socks, 

and the low prices of imports of these 

products from China pose an imminent threat 

to disrupt the U.S. market for socks. Due to 

the vulnerability of the U.S. industry today, 

continued increases in low-priced sock 

imports from China could have a 

considerable impact on the market in the 

near future.

[FR Doc. 04–24432 Filed 10–29–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–S

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

[OMB Control Number 0704–0341] 

Information Collection Requirement; 

Defense Federal Acquisition 

Regulation Supplement; Acquisition of 

Information Technology

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments regarding a proposed 

extension of an approved information 

collection requirement. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with section 

3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 

chapter 35), DoD announces the 

proposed extension of a public 

information collection requirement and 

seeks public comment on the provisions 

thereof. DoD invites comments on: (a) 

Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of DoD, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

the estimate of the burden of the 

proposed information collection; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the information collection on 

respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

The Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) has approved this information 

collection requirement for use through 

October 31, 2004. DoD proposes that 

OMB extend its approval for use 

through October 31, 2007.

DATES: DoD will consider all comments 

received by January 3, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by OMB Control Number 

0704–0341, using any of the following 

methods: 

• Defense Acquisition Regulations 

Web site: http://emissary.acq.osd.mil/

dar/dfars.nsf/pubcomm. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• E-mail: dfars@osd.mil. Include 

OMB Control Number 0704–0341 in the 

subject line of the message. 

• Fax: (703) 602–0350. 

• Mail: Defense Acquisition 

Regulations Council, Attn: Ms. Amy 

Williams, OUSD (AT&L) DPAP (DAR), 

IMD 3C132, 3062 Defense Pentagon, 

Washington, DC 20301–3062. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: Defense 

Acquisition Regulations Council, 

Crystal Square 4, Suite 200A, 241 18th 

Street, Arlington, VA 22202–3402. 

All comments received will be posted 

to http://emissary.acq.osd.mil/dar/

dfars.nsf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Amy Williams, (703) 602–0328. The 

information collection requirements 

addressed in this notice are available 

electronically on the Internet at: http://

www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dfars/

index.htm. Paper copies are available 

from Ms. Amy Williams, OUSD (AT&L) 

DPAP (DAR), IMD 3C132, 3062 Defense 

Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301–3062.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title and 

OMB Number: Defense Federal 

Acquisition Regulation Supplement 

(DFARS) Part 239, Acquisition of 

Information Technology, and the 

associated clauses at DFARS 252.239–

7000 and 252.239–7006; OMB Control 

Number 0704–0341. 

Needs and Uses: This requirement 

provides for the collection of 

information from contractors regarding 

security of information technology; 

tariffs pertaining to telecommunications 

services; and proposals from common 

carriers to perform special construction