Chile Asks to Exempt Rayon Filament Yarn from FTA Rules of Origin

On Friday, July 24, 2015, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) published in the Federal Register Request for Public Comment concerning a request for modification of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement rules of origin for certain woven fabrics of artificial filament yarn.

On June 11, 2015, the Government of the United States received a request from the Government of Chile to modify the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement's (FTA) rules of origin for woven fabrics of artificial filament yarn in subheadings 5408.22-5408.23 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) to allow the use of non-U.S. or Chilean filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 of the HTSUS. As provided in Article 3.20.3-3.20.5 of the U.S.-Chile FTA, the Parties shall consult to consider whether the rules of origin applicable to particular textile and apparel goods should be revised to address issues of availability of supply of fibers, yarns or fabrics in the territory of the Parties. The United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act provides the President with the authority to proclaim a modification to the U.S.-Chile FTA rules of origin necessary to implement an agreement with Chile on the modification. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether filament yarn of viscose rayon classified in subheadings 5403.10, 5403.31, 5403.32, and 5403.41 can be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner. Comments must be submitted by August 24, 2015.