4542 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2008 / Notices 

Dated: January 18, 2008. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–1311 Filed 1–24–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

COMMITTEE FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE 

AGREEMENTS 

Request for Public Comment on Short 

Supply Petition Under the North 

American Free Trade Agreement 

(NAFTA) 

January 18, 2008. 

AGENCY: Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements 

(CITA). 

ACTION: Request for Public Comments 

concerning a request for modification of 

the NAFTA rules of origin for warp pile 

fabric made from solution dyed, wet 

spun acrylic fiber. 

SUMMARY: On January 14, 2008, the 

Chairman of CITA received a request 

from Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, 

alleging that certain solution dyed, wet 

spun acrylic fibers, not carded, combed 

or otherwise processed for spinning, 

classified under subheading 5503.30 of 

the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 

United States (HTSUS), cannot be 

supplied by the domestic industry in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner and requesting that CITA 

consider whether the North American 

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rule of 

origin for warp pile fabrics, classified 

under HTSUS subheading 5801.35, 

should be modified to allow the use of 

non-North American solution dyed, wet 

spun acrylic fiber. The President may 

proclaim a modification to the NAFTA 

rules of origin only after reaching an 

agreement with the other NAFTA 

countries on the modification. CITA 

hereby solicits public comments on this 

request, in particular with regard to 

whether solution dyed, wet spun acrylic 

fiber of HTSUS subheading 5503.30 can 

be supplied by the domestic industry in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. Comments must be submitted 

by February 25, 2008 to the Chairman, 

Committee for the Implementation of 

Textile Agreements, Room 3001, United 

States Department of Commerce, 

Washington, DC 20230. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Maria Dybczak, International Trade 

Specialist, Office of Textiles and 

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

(202) 482–3651. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: 

Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 

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

Section 202(q) of the North American 

Free Trade Agreement Implementation 

Act (19 U.S.C. 3332(q)); Executive Order 

11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended. 

Background: Under the North 

American Free Trade Agreement 

(NAFTA), NAFTA countries are 

required to eliminate customs duties on 

textile and apparel goods that qualify as 

originating goods under the NAFTA 

rules of origin, which are set out in 

Annex 401 to the NAFTA. The NAFTA 

provides that the rules of origin for 

textile and apparel products may be 

amended through a subsequent 

agreement by the NAFTA countries. See 

Section 202(q) of the NAFTA 

Implementation Act. In consultations 

regarding such a change, the NAFTA 

countries are to consider issues of 

availability of supply of fibers, yarns, or 

fabrics in the free trade area and 

whether domestic producers are capable 

of supplying commercial quantities of 

the good in a timely manner. The 

Statement of Administrative Action 

(SAA) that accompanied the NAFTA 

Implementation Act stated that any 

interested person may submit to CITA a 

request for a modification to a particular 

rule of origin based on a change in the 

availability in North America of a 

particular fiber, yarn or fabric and that 

the requesting party would bear the 

burden of demonstrating that a change 

is warranted. NAFTA Implementation 

Act, SAA, H. Doc. 103–159, Vol. 1, at 

491 (1993). The SAA provides that CITA 

may make a recommendation to the 

President regarding a change to a rule of 

origin for a textile or apparel good. SAA 

at 491. The NAFTA Implementation Act 

provides the President with the 

authority to proclaim modifications to 

the NAFTA rules of origin as are 

necessary to implement an agreement 

with one or more NAFTA country on 

such a modification. See section 202(q) 

of the NAFTA Implementation Act. 

On January 14, 2008, the Chairman of 

CITA received a request from Glen 

Raven Custom Fabrics, LLC, alleging 

that certain acrylic fibers, not carded, 

combed or otherwise processed for 

spinning, classified under subheading 

5503.30 of the Harmonized Tariff 

Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), 

cannot be supplied by the domestic 

industry in commercial quantities in a 

timely manner and requesting that CITA 

consider whether the North American 

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rule of 

origin for warp pile fabrics, classified 

under HTSUS subheading 5801.35, 

should be modified to allow the use of 

non-North American acrylic fiber. 

CITA is soliciting public comments 

regarding this request, particularly with 

respect to whether the solution dyed, 

wet spun acrylic fiber described above 

can be supplied by the domestic 

industry in commercial quantities in a 

timely manner. Comments must be 

received no later than February 25, 

2008. Interested persons are invited to 

submit six copies of such comments or 

information to the Chairman, Committee 

for the Implementation of Textile 

Agreements, Room 3100, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, 14th and 

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 

DC 20230. 

If a comment alleges that these acrylic 

staple fibers can be supplied by the 

domestic industry in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner, CITA will 

closely review any supporting 

documentation, such as a signed 

statement by a manufacturer stating that 

it produces fiber that is the subject of 

the request, including the quantities that 

can be supplied and the time necessary 

to fill an order, as well as any relevant 

information regarding past production. 

CITA will protect any business 

confidential information that is marked 

business confidential from disclosure to 

the full extent permitted by law. CITA 

will make available to the public nonconfidential versions of the request and 

non-confidential versions of any public 

comments received with respect to a 

request in room 3001 in the Herbert 

Hoover Building, 14th and Constitution 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. 

Persons submitting comments on a 

request are encouraged to include a nonconfidential version and a nonconfidential summary. 

R. Matthew Priest, 

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation 

of Textile Agreements. 

[FR Doc. E8–1269 Filed 1–24–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 

COMMITTEE FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE 

AGREEMENTS 

Written Notice to the Government of 

Honduras of Intent To Apply a Textile 

Safeguard Measure on Imports from 

Honduras of Cotton Socks 

January 18, 2008. 

AGENCY: The Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements 

(‘‘the Committee’’). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Committee is submitting 

written notice to the Government of 

Honduras with respect to its intent to 

apply a textile safeguard measure on 

imports of Honduran origin cotton socks 

(Category 332). 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2008 / Notices 4543 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sergio Botero, Office of Textiles and 

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

(202) 482–3400. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: 

Title III, Subtitle B, Section 321 through 

Section 328 of the Dominican RepublicCentral America-United States Free 

Trade Agreement (‘‘CAFTA–DR’’ or the 

‘‘Agreement’’) Implementation Act; 

Article 3.23 of the Dominican RepublicCentral America-United States Free 

Trade Agreement. 

Notice 

On January 18, 2007, as provided for 

under Article 3.23 of the Dominican 

Republic-Central America-United States 

Free Trade Agreement, the United States 

submitted written notice to the 

Government of Honduras with respect 

to its intent to apply a textile safeguard 

measure on imports of Honduran origin 

cotton socks (Category 332). 

Background 

On August 21, 2007, the Committee 

initiated a safeguard proceeding to 

determine whether imports of Honduran 

cotton, wool, and man-made fiber socks 

(merged Category 332/432 and 632 part) 

are causing serious damage, or actual 

threat thereof, to the U.S. industry 

producing socks, (72 FR 46611, August 

21, 2007). The initiation of the safeguard 

proceeding launched a 30-day period 

during which interested parties and 

stakeholders submitted comments. In 

accordance with section 4 of the 

Committee’s Procedures for considering 

action under the CAFTA–DR textile and 

apparel safeguard, (71 FR 25157, April 

28, 2006), the Committee has 

determined that it intends to apply a 

textile safeguard measure with respect 

to imports of Honduran origin cotton 

socks (Category 332). This 

determination is based on the comments 

received and information available to 

the Committee that demonstrates that 

safeguard measures are warranted with 

respect to Honduran origin cotton socks 

falling within Category 332, which 

represent approximately 99% of the 

imports subject to this safeguard 

inquiry. The Committee notes that it is 

not at this time making a determination 

to apply a safeguard measure with 

respect to wool and man-made fiber 

socks (Categories 432 and 632 Part, 

respectively), that were part of this 

original safeguards inquiry. 

Article 3.23(4) of the Agreement 

provides that, following receipt of 

written notice by an importing Party of 

intent to apply a safeguard measure, the 

exporting Party may request 

consultations. Article 3.23(4) further 

provides that, upon receipt of a request 

for consultations, the United States and 

the Government of Honduras shall begin 

consultations without delay and shall be 

completed within 60 days of the date of 

the request for consultations. The 

United States shall make a decision on 

whether to apply a safeguard measure 

within 30 days of completion of the 

consultations. 

If the United States decides in the 

affirmative, the United States would 

increase the duty on all Honduran 

origin cotton socks within Category 332 

(including those knit in the United 

States) to a level that does not exceed 

the lesser of: (a) The prevailing U.S. 

normal trade relations (NTR)/mostfavored-nation (MFN) duty rate for the 

article at the time the measure is 

applied; or (b) the U.S. NTR/MFN 

applied duty rate in effect on the date 

of entry into force of the CAFTA–DR, 

currently 13.5% for most socks 

imported from Honduras. The 

Committee is further considering the 

appropriate safeguard tariff rate that 

would be applied to imported cotton 

socks from Honduras. 

Article 3.23 of the Agreement 

provides that, no Party may maintain a 

textile safeguard measure for a period 

exceeding three years. In this case, the 

Committee has further determined that, 

if at the conclusion of the consultation 

period, the United States decides in the 

affirmative, the United States would 

apply a safeguard measure on imports of 

Honduran origin cotton socks (Category 

332) until December 31, 2008, to 

coincide with the expiring limits on 

cotton sock imports from China. 

In the event that safeguard measures 

are applied by the United States, the 

United States would have to provide 

mutually agreed and substantially 

equivalent compensation in textile and 

apparel products to Honduras. If the 

United States and Honduras are unable 

to agree on compensation within 30 

days of the application of a textile 

safeguard measure, Honduras may take 

tariff action of a substantially equivalent 

trade effect. 

R. Matthew Priest, 

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation 

of Textile Agreements. 

[FR Doc. 08–290 Filed 1–18–08; 4:53 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

TIME AND DATE: 10:30 a.m., Thursday, 

January 24, 2008. 

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington, 

DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference 

Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Enforcement Matters. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Sauntia S. Warfield, 202–418–5084. 

David A. Stawick, 

Secretary of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 08–326 Filed 1–22–08; 4:21 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed 

Forces Code Committee Meeting 

AGENCY: Department of Defense. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

forthcoming public meeting of the Code 

Committee established by Article 146(a), 

Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 

U.S.C. 946(a), to be held at the 

Courthouse of the United States Court of 

Appeals for the Armed Forces, 450 E. 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20441–

0001, at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 

2008. The agenda for this meeting will 

include consideration of proposed 

changes to the Uniform Code of Military 

Justice and the Manual for CourtsMartial, United States, and other matters 

relating to the operation of the Uniform 

Code of Military Justice throughout the 

Armed Forces. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William A. DeCicco, Clerk of Court, 

United States Court of Appeals for the 

Armed Forces, 450 E Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20442–0001, telephone 

(202) 761–1448. 

Dated: January 17, 2008. 

C.R. Choate, 

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison 

Officer, Department of Defense. 

[FR Doc. 08–291 Filed 1–24–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 5001–06–M 


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