[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11159-11160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03618]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Determination under the Textile and Apparel Commercial
Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United
States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR Agreement'')
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to
Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement.
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DATES: Effective Date: February 15, 2013.
SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
(``CITA'') has determined that certain three-layered composite fabric,
as specified below, is not available in commercial quantities in a
timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The product will be added to
the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted
quantities.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Dybczak, Office of Textiles and
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3651.
For Further Information On-Line: http://web.ita.doc.gov/tacgi/CaftaReqTrack.nsf under ``Approved Requests,'' Reference number:
173.2013.01.16.Fabric.ST&RforVFCorp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The CAFTA-DR Agreement; Section 203(o)(4) of the
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement
Implementation Act (``CAFTA-DR Implementation Act''), Pub. Law 109-53;
the Statement of Administrative Action, accompanying the CAFTA-DR
Implementation Act; and Presidential Proclamations 7987 (February 28,
2006) and 7996 (March 31, 2006).
Background: The CAFTA-DR Agreement provides a list in Annex 3.25
for fabrics, yarns, and fibers that the Parties to the CAFTA-DR
Agreement have determined are not available in commercial quantities in
a timely manner in the territory of any Party. The CAFTA-DR Agreement
provides that this list may be modified pursuant to Article 3.25(4)-
(5), when the President of the United States determines that a fabric,
yarn, or fiber is not available in commercial quantities in a timely
manner in the territory of any Party. See Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR
Agreement; see also section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation
Act.
The CAFTA-DR Implementation Act requires the President to establish
[[Page 11160]]
procedures governing the submission of a request and providing
opportunity for interested entities to submit comments and supporting
evidence before a commercial availability determination is made. In
Presidential Proclamations 7987 and 7996, the President delegated to
CITA the authority under section 203(o)(4) of CAFTA-DR Implementation
Act for modifying the Annex 3.25 list. Pursuant to this authority, on
September 15, 2008, CITA published modified procedures it would follow
in considering requests to modify the Annex 3.25 list of products
determined to be not commercially available in the territory of any
Party to CAFTA-DR (Modifications to Procedures for Considering Requests
Under the Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-
Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, 73 FR 53200)
(``CITA's procedures'').
On January 16, 2013, the Chairman of CITA received a request for a
Commercial Availability determination (``Request'') from Sandler,
Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. on behalf of VF Corp. for certain three-
layered composite fabric, as specified below. On January 18, 2013, in
accordance with CITA's procedures, CITA notified interested parties of
the Request, which was posted on the dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR
Commercial Availability proceedings. In its notification, CITA advised
that any Response with an Offer to Supply (``Response'') must be
submitted by January 31, 2013, and any Rebuttal Comments to a Response
must be submitted by February 6, 2013, in accordance with sections 6
and 7 of CITA's procedures. No interested entity submitted a Response
to the Request advising CITA of its objection to the Request and its
ability to supply the subject product.
In accordance with section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR
Implementation Act, and section 8(c)(2) of CITA's procedures, as no
interested entity submitted a Response objecting to the Request and
providing an offer to supply the subject product, CITA has determined
to add the specified fabric to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR
Agreement.
The subject product has been added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the
CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities. A revised list has been
posted on the dedicated Web site for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability
proceedings.
Specifications: Certain 3-layered Composite Fabric
Fabric type: Composite fabric consisting of a 3-layered fleece/
shell construction, woven outer layer and brushed inner layer, bonded
with a polyurethane (``PU'') membrane.
HTS: 6001.22.
Woven Face Fabric:
Fiber Content: 83.5% to 88.5% polyester; 13.3%-14.7% spandex.
Yarn Size (single ply, warp and filling): Textured polyester: 80.9
to 85.8 decitex/144 filament (116.5 to 123.6
Nm/144 filament) (72.8 to 77.3 denier/144 filament); Spandex: 43.1
to 45.7 decitex (218.4 to 231.8 Nm) (38.8 to 41.2 denier).
Thread Count: 44.9-49.6 warp ends per sq. cm by 35.2-41.3 filling
picks per sq. cm.
Weave type: Plain weave.
Weight: 118.1 to 130.2 g/sq. m (3.5 to 3.9 oz./sq. yd).
Finish: Woven face--piece dyed and/or printed; Woven back--piece
dyed.
Circular Double Knit Fleece Back Pile Fabric:
Fiber content: 100% polyester.
Yarn Size (single ply): 80.9 to 85.8 decitex (72.8 to 77.3 Denier)
(116.5 to 123.6 Nm).
Weave type: circular double knit looped pile.
Weight: 157.1 to 173.2 g/sq. m (4.6 to 5.1 oz/sq. yd).
Finish: Knit face--piece dyed; Knit back--piece dyed.
Composite fabric:
Weight: 333.3 to 367.5 gm/sq. m (9.8 to 10.8 oz/sq. yd).
Width: 130 cm (51.18 inches).
Finish: Full contact bonding.
Properties:
Windproof: ASTM D737--Initial 1.0 cfm; 3x wash = 1.0 cfm.
Durable water resistant: AATCC 22--Initial >= 90 points; 10x wash
>= 70 points.
High light fastness: AATCC 16 Opt 3--Class 3.0 @ 40 hours AFU.
Low Range Hydrostatic: JIS 1092--Initial 20,000 mm; 3x wash--20,000
mm. AATCC 127--Initial 20,000 mm; 3x wash 20,000 mm.
Water Vapour Permeability: JIS 1099--Initial 20,000 g/sq. m/24
hours; 3x wash 20,000 g/sq. m per 24 hours.
Water Vapour Transmission: ASTM E96 B--Initial 500 g/sq. m/24
hours; 3x wash 500 g/sq. m per 24 hours.
Remarks: Ranges above allow for a variance of up to five (5)
percent for fabric weight, thread count and three (3) percent for fiber
content and yarn size. NOTE: The yarn size designations describe a
range of yarn specifications for yarn before knitting, dyeing and
finishing of the fabric. They are intended as specifications to be
followed by the mill in sourcing yarn used to produce the fabric.
Dyeing, finishing and knitting can alter the characteristic of the yarn
as it appears in the finished fabric. This specification therefore
includes yarns appearing in the finished fabric as finer or coarser
than the designated yarn sizes provided that the variation occurs after
processing of the greige yarn and production of the fabric. The
specifications for the fabric apply to the fabric itself prior to
cutting and sewing of the finished garment. Such processing may alter
the measurements.
Kim Glas,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2013-03618 Filed 2-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P