[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 86 (Thursday, May 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22216-22217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11211]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Denial of Short Supply Request under the United States-Caribbean 
Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA)

April 30, 2001.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Denial of the petition alleging that yarns of cashmere and 
yarns of camel hair cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.
SUMMARY: On February 28, 2001 the Chairman of CITA received a petition 
from Amicale Industries, Inc. alleging yarn of cashmere and yarn of 
camel hair, classified in heading 5108.10.60 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), cannot be supplied by the 
domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. It 
requested that the President proclaim that apparel articles of U.S. 
formed fabrics of such yarns be eligible for preferential treatment 
under the CBTPA. As a result, CITA published a Federal Register Notice 
on March 8, 2001 (66 FR 13913) requesting public comments on the 
petition. These comments were due March 23, 2001. Based on currently 
available information, CITA has determined that these products can be 
supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely 
manner and therefore denies the petition.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 213(b)(2)(A)(v)(II) of the Caribbean Basin 
Economic Recovery Act, as added by Section 211(a) of the CBTPA; 
Section 6 of Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001.

    BACKGROUND: The CBTPA provides for quota- and duty-free treatment 
for qualifying textile and apparel products. Such treatment is 
generally limited to products manufactured from yarns or fabrics formed 
in the United States or a beneficiary country. The CBTPA also provides 
for quota-and duty-free treatment for apparel articles that are both 
cut (or knit-to-shape) and sewn or otherwise assembled in one or more 
CBTPA beneficiary countries from fabric or yarn that is not formed in 
the United States or a CBTPA beneficiary country, if it has been 
determined that such fabric or yarn cannot be supplied by the domestic 
industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner and the President 
has proclaimed such treatment. In Executive Order No. 13191, the 
President delegated to CITA the authority to determine whether yarns or 
fabrics cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner under the CBTPA and directed CITA to 
establish procedures to ensure appropriate public participation in any 
such determination. On March 6, 2001, CITA published procedures that it 
will follow in considering requests. (66 FR 13502).
    On February 28, 2001 the Chairman of CITA received a petition from 
Amicale

[[Page 22217]]

Industries, Inc. alleging yarn of cashmere and yarn of camel hair, 
classified in heading 5108.10.60 of the HTSUS, cannot be supplied by 
the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. It 
requested that the President proclaim that apparel articles of U.S. 
formed fabrics of such yarns be eligible for preferential treatment 
under the CBTPA.
    CITA solicited public comments regarding this request (66 FR 13913, 
published on March 8, 2001) particularly with respect to whether yarn 
of cashmere and yarn of camel hair, classified in HTSUS heading 
5108.10.60, can be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner.
    On the basis of currently available information, CITA has 
determined that yarn of cashmere and yarn of camel hair is spun in the 
United States and is available from U.S. producers in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner. Two companies in their submissions claim 
that they currently spin the yarns in question. Two other companies in 
their submissions claim to have the spinning capacity to produce these 
yarns. One company in its submission claims it supplies camel and 
cashmere hair fibers to companies that spin it into yarn and claims 
that three additional companies are capable of supplying cashmere and 
camel hair yarn to the petitioner.
    Based on currently available information, CITA has determined that 
Amicale's petition should be denied. Amicale has not established that 
these yarns cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial 
quantities in a timely manner. Currently available information 
indicates that the domestic industry is able to supply these yarns in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc.01-11211 Filed 5-1-01; 12:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F