Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

On April 24, 2024, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements published in the Federal Register (89 FR 31145) Request for Public Comment on a Commercial Availability Request Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

SUMMARY: On February 20, 2024, the Government of the United States received a request from the Government of Canada to initiate consultations under Article 6.4.1 of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Canada is requesting that the United States and Mexico with Canada, collectively consider changing the rules of origin for certain end-use fabrics used in the production of fire hose based on the lack of commercial availability for certain high-tenacity polyester yarns in the territories of the Parties. The yarns are described as high-tenacity polyester yarn, single or multiple, multifilament, untwisted, untextured, and measuring more than 920 decitex, used in the production of fire hose, with or without lining, armor or accessories of other materials. The President of the United States may proclaim a modification to the USMCA rules of origin for textile and apparel products if the United States reaches an agreement with Canada and Mexico on a modification under Article 6.4.3 of the USMCA to address issues of availability of supply of fibers, yarns, or fabrics in the territories of the Parties. The President authorized, in Presidential Proclamation 10053 (July 1, 2020), the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements to review requests for modifications to a rule of origin for textile and apparel goods based on a change in the availability of the textile or apparel good in the territory of the Parties, and to make a recommendation as to whether a requested modification is warranted. CITA hereby solicits public comments on this request to modify the USMCA rules of origin, particularly regarding whether certain high-tenacity polyester yarns used in the production of fire hose can be supplied by the U.S. domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by May 24, 2024.