Nepal: Advice Concerning Whether Certain Textile and Apparel Articles Are Import Sensitive
Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 77 (Thursday, April 21, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Number 77 (Thursday, April 21, 2016)
Notices
Pages 23518-23520
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2016-09182
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Investigation No. 332-558
Nepal: Advice Concerning Whether Certain Textile and Apparel Articles Are Import Sensitive
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice of institution of investigation and scheduling of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on March 30, 2016 from the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-558, Nepal: Advice Concerning Whether Certain Textile and Apparel Articles Are Import Sensitive. The report will provide the advice requested by the USTR.
DATES: May 23, 2016: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public hearing.
May 25, 2016: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and statements.
June 9, 2016: Public hearing.
June 14, 2016: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements.
June 24, 2016: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
September 29, 2016: Transmittal of Commission report to the USTR.
ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this investigation may be obtained from Andrea Boron, Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-3433 or andrea.boron@usitc.gov), or Natalie Hanson, Deputy Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-2571 or natalie.hanson@usitc.gov). For information on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or william.gearhart@usitc.gov). The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its Web site (http://www.usitc.gov). Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
Background: As noted by the USTR in his request letter, on February 24, 2016, the President signed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (the Act) (Pub. L. 114-125) into law. Section 915 of the Act authorizes the President to establish a trade preference program for Nepal. Prior to determining whether an article is an eligible article for the purposes of the Act, the President is required to receive the advice of the Commission, in accordance with section 503(e) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the 1974 Act) (19 U.S.C. 2463(e)), that the article is not import-sensitive in the context of imports from Nepal.
In his request letter the USTR notified the Commission, under authority delegated to him in accordance with sections 503(a)(1)(A), 503(e), and 131(a) of the 1974 Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2463(a)(1)(A), 2463(e), and 2151(a)), that the 66 eight-digit textile and apparel tariff lines identified in Table A of the Annex to his request letter are being considered for designation as eligible articles for purposes of the Act. The USTR requested that the Commission provide its advice as to whether these articles are import-
sensitive in the context of imports from Nepal. He asked that this advice include the probable economic effect on total U.S. imports, on U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive articles, and on U.S. consumers of the elimination of U.S. import duties for Nepal on the articles identified in Table A of the Annex to his request letter (see Table A below).
Table A--Products Being Considered for Designation as Eligible Products
for Nepal
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HTS subheading Brief description
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4202.11.00......................... Trunks, suitcases, vanity & all
other cases, occupational luggage
& like containers, surface of
leather, composition or patent
leather.
4202.12.20......................... Trunks, suitcases, vanity and
attacheacute cases, occupational
luggage and similar containers,
with outer surface of plastics.
4202.12.40......................... Trunks, suitcases, vanity &
attacheacute cases, occupational
luggage & like containers,
surfaces of cotton, not of pile or
tufted construction.
4202.12.60......................... Trunks, suitcases, vanity &
attacheacute cases, occupational
luggage & like containers, w outer
surface of veg. fibers, excl.
cotton.
4202.12.80......................... Trunks, suitcases, vanity &
attacheacute cases, occupational
luggage and similar containers,
with outer surface of textile
materials nesi.
4202.21.60......................... Handbags, with or without shoulder
strap or without handle, with
outer surface of leather,
composition or patent leather,
nesi, n/o $ ea.
4202.21.90......................... Handbags, with or without shoulder
strap or without handle, with
outer surface of leather,
composition or patent leather,
nesi, over $ ea.
4202.22.15......................... Handbags, with or without shoulder
straps or without handle, with
outer surface of sheeting of
plastics.
Page 23519
4202.22.40......................... Handbags with or without shoulder
strap or without handle, with
outer surface of textile
materials, wholly or in part of
braid, nesi.
4202.22.45......................... Handbags with or without shoulder
strap or without handle, with
outer surface of cotton, not of
pile or tufted construction or
braid.
4202.22.60......................... Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap
or w/o handle, outer surface of
veg. fibers, exc. cotton, not of
pile or tufted construction or
braid.
4202.22.70......................... Handbags with or w/o shoulder strap
or w/o handle, with outer surface
containing % or more of silk, not
braided.
4202.22.80......................... Handbags with or without shoulder
strap or without handle, with
outer surface of textile
materials, nesi.
4202.29.50......................... Handbags w. or w/o shld. strap or w/
o handle of mat. (o/t leather,
shtng. of plas., tex. mat., vul.
fib. or paperbd.), pap.cov., of
mat. nesi.
4202.29.90......................... Handbags with or without shoulder
straps or without handle, with
outer surface of vulcanized fiber
or of paperboard, not covered with
paper.
4202.31.60......................... Articles of a kind normally carried
in the pocket or handbag, with
outer surface of leather,
composition or patent leather,
nesi.
4202.32.40......................... Articles of a kind normally carried
in the pocket or handbag, with
outer surface of cotton, not of
pile or tufted construction.
4202.32.80......................... Articles of a kind normally carried
in the pocket or handbag, with
outer surface of vegetable fibers,
not of pile or tufted
construction, nesi.
4202.32.95......................... Articles of a kind normally carried
in the pocket or handbag, with
outer surface of textile
materials, nesi.
4202.91.00......................... Cases, bags and containers nesi,
with outer surface of leather, of
composition leather or patent
leather.
4202.92.08......................... Insulated food or beverage bags
with outer surface of textile
materials, nesoi.
4202.92.15......................... Travel, sports and similar bags
with outer surface of cotton, not
of pile or tufted construction.
4202.92.20......................... Travel, sports and similar bags
with outer surface of vegetable
fibers, excl. cotton, not of pile
construction.
4202.92.30......................... Travel, sports and similar bags
with outer surface of textile
materials other than of vegetable
fibers.
4202.92.45......................... Travel, sports and similar bags
with outer surface of plastic
sheeting.
4202.92.60......................... Bags, cases and similar containers,
nesi, with outer surface of
cotton.
4202.92.90......................... Bags, cases and similar containers
nesi, with outer surface of
plastic sheeting or of textile
materials, excl. cotton.
4202.99.90......................... Cases, bags and similar containers,
nesi, with outer surface of
vulcanized fiber or of paperboard.
4203.29.50......................... Gloves, mittens and mitts of
leather or composition leather,
nesi, lined, for persons other
than men.
5701.10.90......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings, of wool or fine animal
hair, not hand-hooked, not hand
knotted during weaving.
5702.31.20......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings of pile construction,
woven, not tufted or flocked, not
made up, of wool/fine animal hair,
nesoi.
5702.49.20......................... Carpets & other textile floor
coverings of pile construction,
woven, not tufted or flocked, made
up, of other textile materials
nesoi.
5702.50.40......................... Carpets & other textile floor
coverings, not of pile
construction, woven, not made up,
of wool or fine animal hair,
nesoi.
5702.50.59......................... Carpets & other textile floor
coverings, not of pile
construction, woven, not made up,
of other textile materials nesoi.
5702.91.30......................... Floor coverings, not of pile
construction, woven not on power-
driven loom, made up, of wool or
fine animal hair, nesi.
5702.91.40......................... Carpets & other textile floor
coverings, not of pile
construction, woven nesoi, made
up, of wool or fine animal hair,
nesoi.
5702.92.90......................... Carpet & other textile floor
coverings, not of pile
construction, woven, made up, of
man-made textile materials, nesi.
5702.99.15......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings, not of pile
construction, woven, made up, of
cotton, nesoi.
5703.10.20......................... Hand-hooked carpets and other
textile floor coverings, tufted,
whether or not made up, of wool or
fine animal hair.
5703.10.80......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings, tufted, whether or not
made up, of wool or fine animal
hair, nesoi.
5703.90.00......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings, tufted, whether or not
made up, of other textile
materials nesoi.
5705.00.20......................... Carpets and other textile floor
coverings, whether or not made up,
nesoi.
6117.10.60......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like,
nesoi.
6117.80.85......................... Headbands, ponytail holders &
similar articles, of textile
materials other than containing %
or more by weight of silk, knitted/
crocheted.
6214.10.10......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like, not
knitted or crocheted, containing %
or more silk or silk waste.
6214.10.20......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like, not
knitted or crocheted, containing
less than % silk or silk waste.
6214.20.00......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like, not
knitted or crocheted, of wool or
fine animal hair.
6214.40.00......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like, not
knitted or crocheted, of
artificial fibers.
6214.90.00......................... Shawls, scarves, mufflers,
mantillas, veils and the like, not
knitted or crocheted, of textile
materials nesoi.
6216.00.80......................... Gloves, mittens and mitts, not
knitted or crocheted, of wool or
fine animal hair, nesoi.
6217.10.85......................... Headbands, ponytail holders and
similar articles, of textile
materials containing
