ITC TO INVESTIGATE THE U.S. INDUSTRY PRODUCING HIGH-PERFORMANCE OUTERWEAR AND TRAVEL GOODS MADE FROM TEXTILES

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched two investigations into the level of U.S. production and shipments of certain high-performance outerwear and travel goods.

The investigations, Certain Textile Articles: Performance Outerwear and Certain Textile Articles: Travel Goods of Textile Materials, were requested by the Ways and Means Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, in a letter received on October 25, 2006.

As requested, the ITC will prepare two separate reports. The first report, covering certain high-performance outerwear pants and jackets and the fabrics used to make them, will be submitted to the Committee by July 25, 2007. The second report, covering travel goods with an outer surface of textile materials and the textile materials used to make them, will be submitted by October 25, 2007. The ITC will define the products that it is covering in each report and will provide, to the extent possible, data for 2005 and 2006 on U.S. production and shipments of these items.

The ITC will not hold a public hearing in connection with these investigations. However, the ITC seeks written input from all interested parties. Written submissions (one original and 14 copies) should be addressed to the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Submissions related to high-performance outerwear jackets and pants and the fabrics used to make them should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. on April 30, 2007. Submissions related to travel goods with an outer surface of textile materials and the textile materials used to make them should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on June 30, 2007. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of the investigations is available in the ITC’s notices of investigation, dated November 16, 2006, which can be downloaded from the ITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.

ITC general factfinding investigations, such as these, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Senate Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Ways and Means. The resulting reports convey the ITC’s objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The ITC makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the ITC submits its finding and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.