Publication Number: 3756

Report Title:  Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs (2004): Effect of Providing Preferential Treatment to Apparel From Sub-Saharan African, Caribbean Basin, and Andean Countries

Investigation Number: 332-458

Author's name(s): Jackie Jones, Brian R. Allen, Heidi Colby-Oizumi, Vincent DeSapio, Kimberlie Freund, Laura Rodriguez, Cynthia Trainor

Date Published: March 2005

Report Description/Introductory Text: The report provides advice on the probable economic effect of granting duty-free and quota-free treatment to U.S. imports of apparel made in eligible Sub-Saharan, Caribbean Basin, and Andean countries from yarns and fabrics named in 24 petitions filed under the commercial availability (short supply) provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) in 2004. The proposed preferential treatment would affect U.S. imports of apparel made of combed compact yarns; apparel containing certain fusible materials in waistbands; apparel containing certain lycra crochet material in waistbands; apparel of flannel fabrics, cotton corduroy fabrics; apparel made with certain fusible interlinings used in waistbands; apparel of certain two-stretch twill fabric, of certain cotton flannel fabrics, of cotton flannel fabrics of different color yarns, of certain polyester lining fabric, of certain cotton twill fabric, of certain fancy polyester-rayon blend fabric, of certain fancy polyester fabric, of certain cotton napped sheeting fabric; women’s and children’s apparel of polyester monofilament yarn; apparel of polyester monofilament yarn, of fancy polyester-rayon suiting fabrics, of circular single knit jersey fabric, of twill rayon-nylon-spandex warp stretch fabric, of circular single knit printed jersey fabric, of woven double-napped cotton flannel fabric; cotton sweaters containing certain open-end spun yarns; women’s and girls’ nightwear of certain circular knit jersey fabrics; boys’ apparel of certain polyester fabrics; and apparel of ring-spun micro-modal fiber yarn. CITA approved 7 petitions, denied 16, and one petition was withdrawn.

On February 2, 2004, following receipt of a request from the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332- 458, Commercial Availability of Apparel Inputs (2004): Effect of Providing Preferential Treatment to Apparel from Sub- Saharan African, Caribbean Basin, and Andean Countries , under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) to provide advice during 2004 in connection with petitions filed by interested parties under the “ commercial availability ” (previously informally known as “ short supply ” ) provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the United States- Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA). For further information on the investigation, see appendix A for a copy of the USTR request letter and appendix B for a copy of the Commission ’ s notice of institution, which was published in the Federal Register (69 F.R. 6003) on February 9, 2004.

During 2004, the Commission was requested to provide advice under “ commercial availability ” provisions for 24 petitions. A copy of the Commission ’ s advice in connection with each of these petitions is included in this report, with any confidential business information deleted.

A list of petitions for which the Commission has provided advice under “ commercial availability ” provisions for 2004 is shown in table 1, which appears on the following page. The table provides a brief description of the articles named in each petition, the date on which each petition was received by the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), whether the advice was requested under the AGOA, CBTPA and/or the ATPDEA, and whether the specified apparel articles were subsequently designated by CITA as eligible for duty- free and quota- free treatment under the “ commercial availability ” provisions of the AGOA, the CBTPA, and the ATPDEA.

Topics Covered: Commercial availability, short supply, AGOA, CBTPA, ATPDEA, apparel, yarn, fabric, duty-free, quota-free treatment

Countries: China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Korea (South), Mexico, Nicaragua, Taiwan

HTS Numbers: 5107, 5108, 5206, 5208, 5209, 5402, 5407, 5510, 5515, 5516, 5801, 5903, 6006, 61, 62

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