The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has issued a notice requesting written comments by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 11, 2011 regarding a "commercial availability" request it received under the DR-CAFTA on behalf of the Levy Group, Inc.

CBP has issued a memorandum regarding the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's recent determined that imports of eligible textile and apparel articles from the Republic of Liberia qualify for African Growth and Opportunity Act duty-free treatment, effective February 7, 2011.

Hong Kong's Trade and Industry Department has issued a notice (Circular No. 1/2011) informing traders that it has reviewed the control arrangements for textiles imports and exports involving "non-sensitive markets" and all textiles transhipment cargoes, and plans to remove certain textiles licensing requirements around mid-2011, subject to completion of the legislative amendments to this effect.

The Canadian Border Services Agency has issued Memorandum D10-14-59 regarding its policy on the tariff classification of garments that have an outer layer made up of a textile fabric, which has been impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with cellular plastics, where the textile layer faces the exterior . These types of garments, which are generally in the form of outerwear, are often described as breathable, waterproof or water-resistant. The garment may or may not have an inner, insulating layer or lining.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has posted recent remarks by Ambassador Marantis in Monrovia, Liberia, in which he discussed progress regarding the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and support and technical assistance to help Liberia take full advantage of the benefits of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Marantis noted that Ambassador Kirk last month determined that Liberia has adopted an effective textile monitoring and control regime that qualifies Liberian textile and apparel exports to receive for duty-free treatment when they enter the U.S.

This summary report highlights the most active textile and apparel tariff preference levels from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s “Quota Weekly Commodity Status Report,” which includes the textile and apparel TPLs that were the most “active” in their prior control period, i.e., they were more than 40% filled at the end of their period. Coverage will expand to other TPLs if their activity is significant in the current control period. The data listed below is current as of February 11, 2011.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has outlined the procedures it will follow in considering requests from interested parties to impose U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement¹ safeguard actions (in the form of higher duty rates) on textile and/or apparel products from Peru that are being imported in such increased quantities to cause or threaten serious damage to a U.S. industry producing a like or directly competitive article.

The Office of Textiles and Apparel has posted to its website monthly reports containing official December 2010 trade data from the Census Department for U.S. imports and exports of textiles and apparel.

The Office of Textiles and Apparel reports that the Turkish Government has initiated investigations on imports of certain woven fabric and certain apparel and apparel accessories.

According to the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA), Taiwan's Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has issued a proposal for comment on its intention to conduct inspections and conformity assessment for most apparel, made-up goods, etc. that are domestically produced or imported, before they can be placed on the market in Taiwan. The proposed date of implementation is January 1, 2012.