ITC Will Accept Comments Regarding Importation of Certain Knitted Footwear

On December 15, 2021, the U.S. International Trade Commission published in the Federal Register (86 FR 71281) Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public Interest.

The Commission has received a complaint and a submission pursuant to Sec. 210.8(b) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure filed on behalf of Nike, Inc., on December 9, 2021. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1337) in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain knitted footwear. The complainant names as respondents: Adidas AG World of Sports of Germany; adidas North America, Inc. of Portland, OR; and adidas America, Inc. of Portland, OR. The complainant requests that the Commission issue a limited exclusion order, cease and desist orders and impose a bond upon respondents alleged infringing articles during the 60-day Presidential review period pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1337(j).

Proposed respondents, other interested parties, and members of the public are invited to file comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint or Sec. 210.8(b) filing. Comments should address whether issuance of the relief specifically requested by the complainant in this investigation would affect the public health and welfare in the United States, competitive conditions in the United States economy, the production of like or directly competitive articles in the United States, or United States consumers.

In particular, the Commission is interested in comments that:

(i) Explain how the articles potentially subject to the requested remedial orders are used in the United States;

(ii) identify any public health, safety, or welfare concerns in the United States relating to the requested remedial orders;

(iii) identify like or directly competitive articles that complainant, its licensees, or third parties make in the United States which could replace the subject articles if they were to be excluded;

(iv) indicate whether complainant, complainant's licensees, and/or third party suppliers have the capacity to replace the volume of articles potentially subject to the requested exclusion order and/or a cease and desist order within a commercially reasonable time; and

(v) explain how the requested remedial orders would impact United States consumers.