FACT SHEET

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreement’s Decision

 to Extend the China Textile Safeguard Determination on Imports

 of Six Textile and Apparel Product Categories from China

On August 1, 2005, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (“the Committee”) announced its decision to extend until August 31, 2005, the period for making determinations on whether to request consultations with China regarding imports of the following textile and apparel product categories:   1) other synthetic filament fabric (Category 620); 2) men’s and boys’ wool trousers (Category 447); 3) cotton and man-made fiber dressing gowns and robes (Category 350/650); 4) cotton and man-made fiber brassieres (Category 349/649); 5) knit fabric (Category 222); and 6) cotton and man-made fiber sweaters (Category 345/645/646).  

Background:   The six product categories described above are subject to market disruption or threat of market disruption requests for safeguard relief that were filed by the domestic textile industry and its workers between November 8, 2004 and April 6, 2005.   Some of the product categories were subject to separate market disruption and threat-based requests. The public comment periods on the threat-based requests filed in November and December were interrupted by an injunction issued by theU.S. Court of International Trade, but were re-opened on May 9 after the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit stayed the injunction.   The comment periods on the six cases ended between May 17 and June 3.

The Committee’s Procedures state that the Committee will make a determination within 60 calendar days of the close of the public comment period as to whether the United States will request consultations with China.

If the Committee is unable to make a determination within 60 calendar days, it will cause a noticeto be published in the Federal Register, including the date by which it will make a determination.

The determination periods for two of the cases (men’s and boys’ wool trousers and other synthetic filament fabric) were previously extended through July 31.

The close of the 60-day determination periods for the six cases falls between July 31 and August 8.   However, the Committee has decided to extend the period for making a determination on these cases in order to consult with our domestic textile and apparel industry and members of Congress about whether to pursue a broader agreement with China on imports of Chinese textile and apparel products to the United States.   Because of these consultations, the Committee is unable to make determinations on the six cases within 60 days of the close of the comment periods.

Timeline for Six Requests for China Textile Safeguard Action

¹ Determination date previously extended to July 31, 2005.

Next Steps:   The Committee will publish shortly Federal Register notices of today’s decisions.

Requestors:   The American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS and UNITE HERE.