CITA Accepts for Consideration Industry Request for Textile Safeguard Action
on Imports of Socks from China

Statement by James Leonard, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles and Apparel, and Chair of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA):

"On June 28, 2004, the Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) received a request for China textile safeguard action from the Domestic Manufacturers Committee (DMC) of The Hosiery Association, the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations and the National Textile Association.

"CITA has determined that the request contains the information required to initiate the safeguard mechanism. Therefore, CITA has accepted the request for consideration and public comment. A request for public comment will be published in the Federal Registeron July 22, 2004 <http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/fr2004/csgpc4.htm>. The public comment period will be 30 days.

"CITA expects to make a determination, either positive or negative, within 60 days of the close of the public comment period. If CITA makes a positive determination, consultations with China may be requested and quantitative limits imposed at any time after CITA makes its determination."

Background on CITA

CITA is an interagency committee made up of members of Commerce, State, Treasury Labor and USTR. The committee’s purpose is to implement textile and apparel trade policy. The expedited timeline on China textile safeguard petitions differs from that of ordinary safeguards and is a function of the procedures established by CITA, which set out timeframes for a safeguard action.

Timeline for CITA textile petitions
Once a petition is received, CITA has 15 days to evaluate whether or not to accept the petition. If a petition is accepted, there is a 30 day public comment period. CITA then has 60 days to analyze the comments, conduct an investigation and make a determination.