E8-27903. Sub-Saharan African Textile and Apparel Inputs: Potential for Competitive Production

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Institution of investigation.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to section 3(c)(1) of Public Law 110-436, An Act to extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, and for other purposes (“the Act”), and pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) has instituted investigation No. 332-502, Sub-Saharan African Textile and Apparel Inputs: Potential for Competitive Production.

DATES:

January 15, 2009: Deadline for filing request to appear at the public hearing.

January 17, 2009: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and statements.

January 29, 2009: Public hearing.

February 12, 2009: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements.

February 24, 2009: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.

May 15, 2009: Transmittal of Commission report to the appropriate congressional committees and the Comptroller General.

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:

Project leader Kimberlie Freund (202-708-5402 or [e-mail]) or deputy project leader Joshua Levy (202-205-3236 or [e-mail]) for information specific to this investigation. 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 [e-mail]). The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or [e-mail]). 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 Internet 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: On October 16, 2008, the President signed into law Public Law No. 110-436, An Act to extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, and for other purposes. Section 3(c)(1) of the Act requires the Commission to conduct a review to identify yarns, fabrics, and other textile and apparel inputs that through new or increased investment or other measures can be produced competitively in beneficiary sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries (as defined in section 506A(c) of the Trade Act of 1974, 19 U.S.C. 2466a(c)). The Act requires the Commission to report the results of its review to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance (the committees), and the Comptroller General, not later than 7 months after enactment of the law (by May 15, 2009). Section 3(c)(2) of the Act requires the Comptroller General to submit a report to the committees based on the Commission's report and other available information not later than 90 days after receiving the Commission's report. The Comptroller General's report is to include recommendations for changes in U.S. trade preference programs, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701) and amendments made by that act, to provide incentives to increase investment and other measures to improve the competitiveness of beneficiary SSA countries in the production of yarns, fabrics, and other textile and apparel inputs identified in the Commission's report, including changes to requirements relating to rules of origin under such programs.

The Commission also instituted this investigation pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 to facilitate docketing of submissions and public access to Commission records through the Commission's EDIS electronic records system.

Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on January 29, 2009. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary not later than 5:15 p.m., January 15, 2009, in accordance with the requirements in the “Submissions” section below. All pre-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., January 17, 2009, and all post-hearing briefs and statements responding to matters raised at the hearing should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., February 12, 2009. In the event that, as of the close of business on January 15, 2009, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant may call the Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000) after January 15, 2009, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.

Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written statements concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., February 24, 2009. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or a copy designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the following paragraph for further information regarding confidential business information). The Commission's rules do not authorize filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/​secretary/​fed_​reg_​notices/​rules/​documents/​handbook_​on_​electronic_​filing.pdf); persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary at 202-205-2000. Any submission that contains confidential business information must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether they are the “confidential” or “non-confidential” version, and that the confidential business information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary for inspection by interested parties. The Commission anticipates that the report it sends to the committees and the Comptroller General in this investigation will be made available to the public in its entirety. Consequently, the report that the Commission sends to the committees and the Comptroller General will not contain any confidential business information. Any confidential business information received by the Commission in this investigation and used in preparing its report will not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

By order of the Commission.

Issued: November 19, 2008.

William R. Bishop,

Acting Secretary to the Commission.