CITA Postpones Until August 31, 2005 its Determinations on Whether to Impose Safeguard Quotas on China Cats 222, 345/645/646, 349/649, 350/650, 447, and 620
The Commerce Department (Commerce) has announced that the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has extended until August 31, 2005 the period for making determinations on whether to request consultations with China, and at the same time impose safeguard quotas, on the following China categories for which "threat"-based and/or "actual" market disruption petitions have been filed:
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| Category | Description | Type of Petition(s) |
| 222 | knit fabric | threat |
| 345/645/646 | cotton and man-made fiber sweaters | actual |
| 349/649 | cotton and man-made fiber brassieres | threat and actual |
| 350/650 | cotton and man-made fiber dressing gowns & robes | threat and actual |
| 4471 | men's and boys' wool trousers, breeches, shorts | threat |
| 6201 | other synthetic filament fabric | threat and actual |
1 Commerce notes that the determination periods for cats 620 and 447 were previously extended through July 31, 2005. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/21/05 and 07/27/05 news, 05072110 and 05072715, for BP summaries.)
CITA Will Consult with Domestic Industry and Congress on Whether to Pursue a Broader Agreement on Textile Imports from China
Commerce states that the close of the 60-day determination periods for these six cases falls between July 31 and August 8, 2005. However, CITA has decided to extend the period for making a determination on these cases in order to consult with the domestic textile and apparel industry and members of Congress about whether to pursue a broader agreement with China on imports of Chinese textile and apparel products to the U.S. Because of these consultations, CITA is unable to make determinations on the six cases within 60 days of the close of the comment periods.
According to Commerce, CITA will soon publish a Federal Register notice of its decision to extend the determination periods until August 31, 2005.
These Categories Are Subject to Threat and/or Actual Market Disruption Requests
According to Commerce, the six product categories described above are subject to market disruption and/or threat of market disruption requests for safeguard relief that were filed by the domestic textile industry and its workers between November 8, 2004 and April 6, 2005. Commerce notes that the comment periods on the six cases ended between May 17, 2005 and June 3, 2005.
Commerce states that the public comment periods on the threat-based requests filed in November and December were interrupted by an injunction issued by the Court of International Trade (CIT), but were re-opened on May 9, 2005 after the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) stayed the injunction.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 05/09/05 news, 05050912, for BP summary of CITA's resumption of consideration of these and other China safeguard petitions based on "threat of" market disruption. See ITT's Online Archives or 05/03/05 news, 05050305, for BP summary of CITA's notice seeking comments on these and other China safeguard petitions based on actual market disruption.)
(See today's ITT, 05080305, for BP summary of CITA's decision to consider safeguard petitions on China cats 332/432/632pt., 341/641, 342/642, 351/651, and 359S/659S.)
Commerce press release (dated 08/01/05) available at http://www.commerce.gov/opa/press/Secretary_Gutierrez/2005_Releases/August/1_CITA.htm
Commerce fact sheet, which includes a timeline for these six safeguard cases detailing the comment period close dates, etc., (dated 08/01/05) available at http://www.commerce.gov/opa/press/Secretary_Gutierrez/2005_Releases/August/1_CITA_FactSheet_Extend.htm
(NCTO press release and letter on its goals for a broader agreement with China, dated 07/29/05, available at http://www.ncto.org/newsroom/pr200529.asp)