Amendments to section 112 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721) (AGOA), included in Public Law 109-432, require the Commission to make certain determinations relating to the commercial availability of regional fabric or yarn for use in lesser developed beneficiary (LDB) sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, and the use of such fabric that is determined to be available. The Commission instituted investigation Nos. AGOA-002, Denim Fabric: Use in AGOA Countries During Fiscal Year 2007 and AGOA-003, Denim Fabric: Commercial Availability in AGOA Countries During Fiscal Year 2009, for the purpose of gathering information and making the required determinations for certain denim fabrics. The Commission will use the questionnaires to collect the required information. An importers questionnaire will be sent to firms believed to be importing apparel made with the subject denim from the LDB SSA countries. An apparel manufacturers questionnaire will be sent to firms in LDB SSA countries who are believed to be manufacturing apparel using the subject denim.
The authorizing statute requires the Commission to make determinations on the use and availability of the subject denim fabric for use by LDB SSA countries in the manufacture of apparel for export to the United States under AGOA trade preference programs. The Commission is scheduled to transmit its determinations to the President and the U.S. Trade Representative on the use of the subject fabric by July 1, 2008, and on the availability of the subject fabric by August 1, 2008. The Commission cannot reasonably comply with the normal clearance procedures under 5 CFR 1320.10(b) for these investigations. The importers and apparel manufacturers questionnaires are tentatively scheduled to be mailed by February 20, 2008, in order to give the industry sufficient time to fill out the questionnaires, and for the Commission to tabulate and check the data sent back in the questionnaires. The importers and apparel manufacturers questionnaires are due back to the Commission by March 20, 2008.
US Code:
19 USC 3721
Name of Law: African Growth and Opportunity Act
The data to be obtained through the attached questionnaires will be used by the Commission to fulfill its statutory obligations under Amendments to section 112 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721) (AGOA), included in Public Law 109-432. Specifically, the data are required in order for the Commission to make determinations regarding the use and commercial availability of certain denim fabric. Such data are not publicly available. This is a one-time collection.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.