COMMERCE SECRETARY RELEASES FIRST TEXTILE WORKING GROUP REPORT TO CONGRESS

The U.S. Department of Commerce today released the first Textile Working Group report to the Congressional textile caucus. The report outlines the Administration’s accomplishments in improving conditions in the U.S. textile industry.

“This Administration made a promise to the U.S. textile industry and its workers,” said Evans. “We take that commitment seriously. This report highlights our accomplishments to date and is the first step toward fulfilling that commitment. President Bush and I know that the American worker can compete in any market, given a level playing field where free and fair trade flourish.”

The Textile Working Group is an interagency group that was formally introduced by Commerce Secretary Evans in January 2002 when he outlined steps the Administration would take to ensure that textile and apparel industry concerns were addressed.

The Textile Working Group was designed to:

· Ensure that textile concerns are reflected in the administration of our current trade agreements and in negotiation of new agreements, especially to open foreign markets for our textile and apparel products.
· Ensure foreign country compliance with existing agreements;
· Strengthen enforcement efforts to combat illegal transshipment;
· Implement an aggressive export expansion program and facilitate utilization of trade preference programs encouraging use of U.S. textiles, such as those with the Caribbean Basin and Africa;
· Achieve authorization of improved trade adjustment assistance programs;
· Ensure full access to trade remedy laws consistent with international rights and obligations; and
· Examine the prospects for diversification into other industries for countries overly dependent on textile exports to the United States.

The Textile Working Group report is available by clicking here.