CITA Accepts for Consideration
Industry Request for Textile Safeguard
Action on Imports of Cotton Trousers from China
Statement by James C. Leonard, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Textiles and Apparel, and Chair of the Committee for the Implementation
of Textile Agreements (CITA):
Today, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA)
agreed to consider a request by a coalition of U.S. textile companies,
apparel companies and a union representing textile and apparel workers
for safeguard action limiting imports of cotton trousers from China.
CITA has determined that the request contains the information identified
in its published procedures warranting consideration of the request. CITA
is soliciting public comments on the request.
Background on CITA
CITA is an interagency group made up of members of Commerce, State, Treasury
Labor and USTR, and chaired by the Department of Commerce. The Committee
is responsible for matters affecting textile and apparel trade policy
and for supervising the implementation of all textile trade agreements.
Timeline
Once a request for safeguard action under China's WTO accession agreement
is received, CITA has 15 days to evaluate whether or not to consider the
request. If CITA decides to consider the request, there is a 30 day public
comment period. CITA then has 60 days to make a determination whether
imports of the subject product are disrupting, or threatening to disrupt,
the U.S. market, and whether imports of Chinese origin products play a
role in that market disruption or threat of market disruption.
FACT SHEET
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
Determination to Accept the Request for Investigation of
Cotton Trouser Imports from China
Based on Threat of Market Disruption
On Friday, October 29, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements (CITA), which is chaired by the Department of Commerce, agreed
to consider a request by a coalition of U.S. textile companies, apparel
companies and a union representing textile and apparel workers for safeguard
action limiting imports of cotton trousers (Category 347/348) from China.
The Committee will now consider whether imports of cotton trousers from
China "threaten the U.S. with market disruption and [whether] imports
of the subject products from China will play a role in that increase and
in the threat of market disruption," as alleged in the request.
Next Steps: The Committee will publish a Federal Register notice
seeking public comments regarding the request, launching a 30-day period
during which interested parties and stakeholders may submit comments on
the request. In the past, the Chinese government as well as the textile
industry, apparel industry, importers, workers and other interested parties
have submitted comments for the record.
The Committee will make a determination within 60 calendar days of the
close of the public comment period on whether to request consultations
with China. [NOTE: The Committee has the authority to extend this phase
if necessary to complete an investigation.] If the Committee is unable
to make a determination within 60 calendar days, a notice will be published
in the Federal Register, including the date by which it will make a determination.
If the Committee makes a negative determination, this determination and
the reasons therefore will be published in the Federal Register.
If the Committee makes an affirmative determination that imports of Chinese
textiles and apparel products threaten to disrupt the U.S. market, the
Committee will request consultations with China. [NOTE: Consultations
with 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.]
CITA will request consultations with China with a view to easing or avoiding
such market disruption. As of the date consultations are requested by
the United States, a quota will be put in place to limit U.S. imports
of cotton trousers.
Petitioners: The American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition,
the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association,
SEAMS, and UNITE HERE! filed their request for safeguard action on October
8, 2004.
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