CITA Agrees to Consider 13 Petitions Requesting Safeguard Quotas/Reapplications for China Cats 226, 301, 338/339, 340/640, 347/348, 349/649, 352/652, 443, 619, 620, 634/635, 638/639 and 647/648
The Commerce Department (Commerce) has announced that on October 5, 2005, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) decided to consider petitions filed by the domestic textile industry requesting new safeguard quotas or the continuation (reapplication) of existing safeguard quotas, on the following China categories:
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| Category | Description (reapplication, subject to safeguards through 12/31/05) |
| 301 | Combed cotton yarn |
| 338/339 | Cotton knit shirts |
| 340/640 | Cotton/Manmade fiber (MMF) men's and boys' woven shirts |
| 347/348 | Cotton trousers, breeches and shorts |
| 349/649 | Cotton/MMF Brassieres and other body supporting garments |
| 352/652 | Cotton/MMF Underwear |
| 620 | Other synthetic filament fabric |
| 638/639 | MMF knit shirts |
| 647/648 | MMF trousers, breeches and shorts |
| Category | Description (new, not currently subject to safeguards) |
| 226 | Cotton/MMF cheesecloth, batistes, lawns/voiles |
| 443 | Wool men's and boys' suits |
| 619 | Polyester filament fabric, light-weight |
| 634/635 | MMF other men's and boys' coats and women's and girls' coats |
(According to Commerce, with respect to the reapplications, the domestic textile industry filed their petitions based on threat of market disruption. With respect to the request for new safeguards, the domestic textile industry filed their petitions based on market disruption.)
CITA to Announce 30-Day Comment Periods
According to Commerce, CITA will now seek public comments on the requests, in particular with regard to whether the U.S. markets for these apparel product categories are disrupted or threatened with market disruption (as applicable), and, if so, the role of Chinese-origin products in that disruption or threat thereof.
CITA will seek public comments for a 30-day period, beginning on the date Federal Register notices for these comment periods are published.
If CITA Subsequently Requests Consultations, Quotas to Also Be Imposed
Commerce states that CITA will make determinations within 60 calendar days of the close of the public comment period on whether to request consultations with China on any of the above-listed categories. CITA may extend this phase if necessary to complete an investigation.
If CITA makes an affirmative determination that imports of any of these China textile or apparel product categories are disrupting or threatening to disrupt the U.S. market, CITA will request consultations on those products with China, with a view to easing or avoiding such market disruption.
As of the date consultations are requested by the U.S., a quota will be put in place to limit U.S. imports from China of those textile or apparel products.
Commerce states that consultations with China will be held within 30 days of China's receipt of the request for consultations, and every effort will be made to reach agreement on a mutually satisfactory solution within 90 days of China's receipt of the request for consultations.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 09/16/05 news, 05091605, for BP summary of the U.S. textile industry petitioning for a reapplication of safeguard quotas for the applicable categories listed above.)
(See ITT's Online Archives or 09/23/05 news, 05092315, for BP summary of the U.S. textile industry petitioning for new safeguard quotas for the applicable categories listed above.)
Commerce fact sheet (dated 10/05/05) available at http://www.ita.doc.gov/media/FactSheet/1005/cita_100505.html