CITA Solicits Comments on Domestic Industry Requests for Safeguard Quotas on China Cats 338/339, 340/640, 352/652, 638/639, and 647/648
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued five notices announcing that on October 13, 2004 (October 15, 2004 for cat 352/652), it received requests from various groups1 asking that safeguard quotas be imposed on the below imports from China on the ground that an anticipated increase in imports after January 1, 2005 threaten to disrupt the U.S. market:
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| Category | Description of category |
| 338/339 | cotton knit shirts and blouses |
| 340/640 | cotton and manmade fiber (MMF) men's and boys' woven shirts |
| 352/652 | cotton and MMF underwear |
| 638/639 | MMF knit shirts and blouses |
| 647/648 | MMF trousers, breeches and shorts 2 |
CITA states that it has determined that these five requests provide the information necessary for CITA to consider them.
As a result, CITA is soliciting public comments on these requests (individually), in particular, with regard to whether there is a threat of disruption to the U.S. market in these products (individually), and if so, the role of Chinese-origin apparel in that disruption. (See notices for details of the factors such comments could address.)
Subject Categories are Currently Subject to Quota/Visa
These categories are currently subject to either individual or merged category quotas under China Group I, as well as visa and ELVIS requirements.
CITA Has 60 Calendar Days from December 9, 2004 to Determine Whether to Request Consultations With China
According to CITA, written comments may be submitted by any interested person, and must be received no later than December 9, 2004 for each of the five requests (each request will be considered individually).
CITA states that it will make a determination within 60 calendar days of December 9, 2004 as to whether the U.S. will request consultations with China with respect to any of the above apparel products.
If CITA is unable to make any of these determinations by that date, it will publish a notice in the Federal Register listing the dates by which it will make its determinations. In addition, CITA states that if it decides to not request consultations with China on a petition, it will publish those negative determinations in the Federal Register.
If CITA Finds Threat of Market Disruption, Etc., It Will Request Consultations and China Will Limit its Shipments
With respect to any of these requests, If CITA makes an affirmative determination that imports of subject Chinese apparel products threaten to disrupt the U.S. market, the U.S. will request consultations with China, with a view to easing or avoiding such market disruption.
On the date of China's receipt of the request for consultations, CITA states China must restrict its shipments of the subject product to a level no greater than 7.5% (6% for wool product categories) above the amount entered during the first 12 months of the most recent 14 months preceding the month in which the request was made. In addition, the U.S. may implement this level as a quota limit.
1 For all but one of the requests, the requestors consist of: 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! For the request regarding 352/652, the requestors are the above except for SEAMS.
2 Although the notice only mentions MMF trousers, ITA sources stated by phone that the request covers all of cat 647/648.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/04/03 and 05/22/03 news, 03080415 and 03052210, respectively, for BP summaries on CITA's safeguard procedures for China.)
CITA Contact - Jay Dowling (202) 482-4058
CITA notices (FR Pub 11/09/04) available at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a041109c.html (scroll down to CITA notices)
BP Note
The U.S. has already imposed safeguard quotas on China cats 222, 349/649, and 350/650 for December 24, 2003 through December 23, 2004, and a safeguard quota on China cats 332/432/632pt. for October 29, 2004 through October 28, 2005.