Certain Groups File Petition to Extend China Cat 350/650 Safeguard Quota
The Commerce Department's Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) has posted to its Web site an updated "informal list" of recent petitions (requests) submitted to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) requesting China safeguard quotas on certain textile and apparel imports from China.
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OTEXA has updated its list to reflect the November 24, 2004 filing of a petition for another safeguard quota on Chinese origin cotton and/or man-made fiber (MMF) dressing gowns and robes (cat 350/650). China category 350/650 is currently subject to a safeguard quota that filled on November 18, 2004 and is scheduled to reopen on December 24, 2004.
According to OTEXA's Web site, the following requests for safeguard actions on Chinese origin textiles and apparel have been filed with CITA since October 8, 2004:
Petition on cotton and/or MMF dressing gowns and robes (filedNovember 24, 2004). On November 24, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a reapplication of the safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 350/650 | Cotton and/or MMF dressing gowns and robes |
Petition on cotton and/or MMF knit fabric (filedNovember 19, 2004). On November 19, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a reapplication of the safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 222 | Cotton and/or MMF knit fabric |
Petition on wool trousers (filed November 12, 2004). On November 12, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 447 | Wool trousers 1 |
Petition on other synthetic filament fabric (filed November 8, 2004). On November 8, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 620 | Other synthetic filament fabric |
Petition on combed cotton yarn (filed October 27, 2004). On October 27, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 301 | Combed cotton yarn |
Petition on cotton/MMF underwear (filed October 15, 2004). On October 15, 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 352/652 | Cotton and man-made fiber (MMF) underwear |
Petitions on cotton/MMF shirts and blouses, trousers (filed October 13, 2004). On October 13, 2004, certain groups filed petitions requesting safeguard quotas on the following China categories:
| 338/339 | Men's and boys' and women's and girls' cotton knit shirts and blouses |
| 340/640 | Woven men's and boys' cotton and MMF shirts |
| 638/639 | Men's and boys' and women's and girls' MMF knit shirts and blouses |
| 647/648 | Men's and boys' and women's and girls' MMF trousers1 |
Petition on cotton trousers (filed October 8, 2004). On October 8 2004, certain groups filed a petition requesting a safeguard quota on the following China category:
| 347/348 | Men's and boys' and women's and girls' cotton trousers1 |
CITA Has 15 Working Days from Filing to Decide Whether a Petition Will Be "Considered," Etc.
CITA has previously stated that within 15 working days of receipt of a China safeguard petition, it will determine whether the petition provides the information necessary for CITA to consider it. If a petition is determined to provide the necessary information, CITA will publish a Federal Register notice announcing a public comment period for 30 calendar days.
CITA will then make a determination within 60 calendar days of the close of the comment period as to whether it will request consultations with China. Upon receipt of a request for consultations (if CITA determines to submit such request), China will limit its shipments to a certain level, and the U.S. may also implement this limit as a quota.
1 The term 'trousers' is shorthand for all apparel in the listed category(s).
The groups are, in various combinations for each petition, the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC), the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), the National Textile Association (NTA), the National Association for the Sewn Products Industry (SEAMS), and UNITE HERE!, which is a labor union.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 11/23/04 news, 04112330, for BP summary of OTEXA's previous informal list. See ITT's Online Archives or 11/08/04, 11/09/04, and 11/24/04 news, 04110800, 04110905, and 04112425, for BP summaries of CITA's notices requesting comments by December 3, 2004 on the China cat 347/348 petition, by December 9, 2004 on the China cats 338/339, 340/640, 352/652, 638/639, and 647/648 petitions, and by December 23, 2004 on the China cat 301 petition, respectively.)
OTEXA's "informal list" of recent petitions available at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/chinare1Nov26.pdf