[Federal Register: January 14, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 9)]
[Notices]
[Page 2159-2160]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14ja04-94]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332-449]
Market Conditions for Certain Wool Articles in 2002-04
AGENCY: International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice of second report, scheduling of public hearing, and
request for public comments.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: December 19, 2003.
SUMMARY: The Commission has announced the schedule for its second (and
final) report on investigation No. 332-449, U.S. Market Conditions for
Certain Wool Articles in 2002-04, instituted under section 332(g) of
the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)) on January 24, 2003, at the
request of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact
Jackie W. Jones (202-205-3466; jones@usitc.gov) of the Office of
Industries; for information on legal aspects, contact William Gearhart
(202-205-3091; wgearhart@usitc.gov) of the Office of the General
Counsel. The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Public Affairs
Officer (202-205-1819). Hearing impaired individuals may obtain
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal
on 202-205-1810. 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. General information about
the Commission may be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov
). The public record for this investigation may be viewed
on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.
Background: As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide
information for 2003 and year-to-date 2003-04 on U.S. market
conditions, including domestic demand, domestic supply, and domestic
production for men's and boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets,
and trousers; worsted wool fabrics and yarn used in the manufacture of
such clothing; and wool fibers used in the manufacture of such fabrics
and yarn. Also, as requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide,
to the extent possible, data on:
(1) Increases or decreases in sales and production of the subject
domestically-produced worsted wool fabrics;
(2) Increases or decreases in domestic production and consumption
of the subject apparel items;
(3) The ability of domestic producers of the subject worsted wool
fabrics to meet the needs of domestic manufacturers of the subject
apparel items in terms of quantity and ability to meet market demands
for the apparel items;
(4) Sales of the subject worsted wool fabrics lost by domestic
manufacturers to imports benefiting from the temporary duty reductions
on certain worsted wool fabrics under the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs)
provided for in headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12 of the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS);
(5) Loss of sales by domestic manufacturers of the subject apparel
items related to the inability to purchase adequate supplies of the
subject worsted wool fabrics on a cost competitive basis; and
(6) The price per square meter of imports and domestic sales of the
subject worsted wool fabrics.
The USTR requested that the Commission submit the information in a
confidential report by September 15, 2004. The USTR requested that the
Commission issue a public version of the report as soon as possible
thereafter, with any confidential business information deleted. The
Commission's first report on this investigation was submitted to the
USTR in October 2003.
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with the
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
March 25, 2004. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be
filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., March 9, 2004, in
accordance with the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below.
In the event that, as of the close of business on March 9, 2004, 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 non-participant may call the Secretary (202-205-2000) after March 9,
2004, to determine whether the hearing will be held.
Statements and Briefs: In lieu of or in addition to participating
in the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written
statements or briefs concerning the investigation in accordance with
the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. Any prehearing
briefs or statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., March
11, 2004; the deadline for filing post-hearing briefs or statements is
5:15 p.m., April 11, 2004. To be assured of consideration by the
Commission, written statements relating to the Commission's second
report on this investigation should be submitted to the Commission at
the earliest practical date and should be received no later than the
close of business on April 11, 2004.
Written Submissions: All written submissions including requests to
appear at the hearing, statements, and briefs should be addressed to
the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. All written
[[Page 2160]]
submissions must conform with the provisions of Sec. 201.8 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8); any
submissions that contain confidential business information must also
conform with the requirements of Sec. 201.6 of the Commission's Rules
of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.8 of the rules
require 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. Section 201.6 of the rules require that the cover of
the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether
they are the ``confidential'' or ``nonconfidential'' version, and that
the confidential business information be clearly identified by means of
brackets.
The Commission's rules do not authorize filing submissions with the
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent
permitted by Sec. 201.8 of the Commission's Rules (1 CFR 201.8) (see
Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, ftp://ftp.usitc.gov/pub/reports/electronic_filing_handbook.pdf
). Persons with questions
regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000
or edis@usitc.gov).
All written submissions, except for confidential business
information, will be made available for inspection by interested
parties. Accordingly, any confidential information received by the
Commission in these investigations and used in preparing the report
will not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of
the firm supplying the information.
The public record for these investigations may be viewed on the
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.
Hearing-impaired individuals are advised that information on this
matter can be obtained by contacting our TDD terminal on (202) 205-
1810. 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.
List of Subjects
Tariffs, imports, wool, fabric, and suits.
Issued: January 8, 2004.
By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-810 Filed 1-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P