[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 25382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09926]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.
On behalf of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements (CITA), the Department of Commerce will submit to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for
collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
Agency: International Trade Administration, Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Title: Interim Procedures for Considering Requests under the
Commercial Availability Provision of the United States-Panama Trade
Promotion Agreement.
Form Number(s): N/A.
OMB Control Number: 0625-0273.
Type of Request: Regular submission.
Burden Hours: 89.
Number of Respondents: 16 (10 for Requests; 3 for Responses; 3 for
Rebuttals).
Average Hours per Response: 8 hours per Request; 2 hours per
Response; and 1 hour per Rebuttal.
Needs and Uses: Title II, Section 203(o) of the United States-
Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (the ``Act'')
[Public Law 112-43] implements the commercial availability provision
provided for in Article 3.25 of the United States-Panama Trade
Promotion Agreement (the ``Agreement''). The Agreement entered into
force on October 31, 2012. Subject to the rules of origin in Annex 4.1
of the Agreement, and pursuant to the textile provisions of the
Agreement, a fabric, yarn, or fiber produced in Panama or the United
States and traded between the two countries is entitled to duty-free
tariff treatment. Annex 3.25 of the Agreement also lists specific
fabrics, yarns, and fibers that the two countries agreed are not
available in commercial quantities in a timely manner from producers in
Panama or the United States. The items listed in Annex 3.25 are
commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers. Articles
containing these items are entitled to duty-free or preferential
treatment despite containing inputs not produced in Panama or the
United States.
The list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers may
be changed pursuant to the commercial availability provision in Chapter
3, Article 3.25, Paragraphs 4-6 of the Agreement. Under this provision,
interested entities from Panama or the United States have the right to
request that a specific fabric, yarn, or fiber be added to, or removed
from, the list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers
in Annex 3.25 of the Agreement.
Pursuant to Chapter 3, Article 3.25, paragraph 6 of the Agreement,
which requires that the President publish procedures for parties to
exercise the right to make these requests, Section 203(o)(4) of the Act
authorizes the President to establish procedures to modify the list of
fabrics, yarns, or fibers not available in commercial quantities in a
timely manner in either the United States or Panama as set out in Annex
3.25 of the Agreement. The President delegated the responsibility for
publishing the procedures and administering commercial availability
requests to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
(``CITA''), which issues procedures and acts on requests through the
U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Textiles and Apparel (``OTEXA'')
(See Proclamation No. 8894, 77 FR 66507, November 5, 2012).
The intent of the Commercial Availability Procedures is to foster
the use of U.S. and regional products by implementing procedures that
allow products to be placed on or removed from a product list, in a
timely manner, and in a manner that is consistent with normal business
practice. The procedures are intended to facilitate the transmission of
requests; allow the market to indicate the availability of the supply
of products that are the subject of requests; make available promptly,
to interested entities and the public, information regarding the
requests for products and offers received for those products; ensure
wide participation by interested entities and parties; allow for
careful review and consideration of information provided to
substantiate requests and responses; and provide timely public
dissemination of information used by CITA in making commercial
availability determinations.
CITA must collect certain information about fabric, yarn, or fiber
technical specifications and the production capabilities of Panamanian
and U.S. textile producers to determine whether certain fabrics, yarns,
or fibers are available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in
the United States or Panama, subject to Section 203(o) of the Act.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
Frequency: Varies.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
This information collection request may be viewed at
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of
Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.
Dated: April 25, 2016.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-09926 Filed 4-27-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P