Three Textile China Safeguard Petitions Clear Initial Procedural Hurdle

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has formally accepted for further consideration three of the four China textile safeguard petitions filed by the U.S. textile and fiber industry on July 24. The announcement was made in the August 18th edition of the Federal Register.

August 18, 2003
Contact: Marjory Walker
(901) 274-9030

WASHINGTON, DC – The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has formally accepted for further consideration three of the four China textile safeguard petitions filed by the U.S. textile and fiber industry on July 24. The announcement was made in the August 18th edition of the Federal Register.

The petitions covering knit fabric, brasseries and dressing gowns were accepted, but the petition on gloves was not. Although knit cotton and man-made fiber gloves are no longer under quota, imports of woven cotton and man-made fiber gloves remain under quota until January 1, 2005. The textile China safeguard is not applicable to a product under quota.

The united textile and fiber coalition intends to file a new petition on knit cotton and man-made fiber gloves as soon as practicable – likely early this fall.

CITA posted the petitions at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/fr.htm and initiated a public comment period lasting until September 17, 2003.

Allen E. Gant, Jr., CEO of Glen Raven Inc., said on behalf of the petitioners, "We are pleased that three of the petitions have been accepted for further consideration. Now it is critical that the CITA hear from all those who support our efforts."

Gant continued, "We strongly urge interested U.S. textile producers to weigh in with comments over the next month. States, counties, localities, cotton farmers, wool producers, suppliers, and related businesses adversely affected by the nearly 300,000 textile and apparel jobs lost since January of 2001 also are encouraged to voice their support in favor of the China safeguard petitions by September 17."

Public comments on the China safeguard petitions may be submitted to the Chairman of CITA at Room 3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. Such comments must be received by CITA no later than September 17, 2003.

CITA is an interagency body comprised of representatives from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Departments of Commerce, State, Treasury, and Labor. Support from at least three of the five agencies is necessary to approve the textile/fiber industry’s safeguard petitions.

James C. Leonard III, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Apparel and Consumer Goods Industries, chairs CITA.

Following the public comment period, CITA has sixty days to approve or reject the petitions. CITA may extend the sixty-day decision-making period by publishing a notice in the Federal Register.

Actual signatories to the China safeguard petitions were the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC), American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI), National Textile Association (NTA), and American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA).

Members of the textile/fiber coalition supporting the safeguards are:

  • American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC)
  • American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI)
  • National Textile Association (NTA)
  • American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA)
  • American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA)
  • National Cotton Council (NCC)
  • American Sheep Industry Association
  • American Textile Machinery Association (ASI)
  • The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
  • The Association of Georgia’s Textile, Carpet & Consumer Products Manufacturers (GTMA)
  • USA Domestic Manufacturers Committee of the Hosiery Association
  • Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)
  • North Carolina Manufacturers Association (NCMA)
  • Textile Distributors Association (TDA)
  • South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance (SCMA)
  • American Flock Association