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.