Requirements to Submit Comments on a Pending Textile and Apparel Safeguard Action

Requirements to Submit Comments on a Pending Textile and Apparel Safeguard Action

Consideration of Requests, Comments

Consistent with Section 321(b) of the Implementation Act, if CITA determines that the request provides the information necessary for it to be considered, CITA will publish in the Federal Register a notice seeking public comments regarding the request, which will include a summary of the request and the date by which comments must be received. The Federal Register notice and the request, with the exception of information marked “business confidential,” will be posted by the Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (“OTEXA”) on the Internet (http://otexa.trade.gov). The comment period shall be 30 calendar days. To the extent business confidential information is provided, a non-confidential version must also be provided, that is identical to the business confidential version with the exception that any business confidential information is summarized or, if necessary, deleted. At the conclusion of its submission of such public comments, an interested party must attest that “all information contained in the comments is complete and accurate and no false claims, statements, or representations have been made.” Comments received, with the exception of information marked “business confidential,” will also be on the Internet (http://otexa.trade.gov) for review by the public. If a comment alleges that there is no serious damage or actual threat thereof, or that the subject imports are not the cause of the serious damage or actual threat thereof, CITA will closely review any supporting information and documentation, such as information about domestic production or prices of like or directly competitive articles. In the case of requests submitted by entities that are not the actual producers of a like or directly competitive article, particular consideration will be given to comments representing the views of actual producers in the United States of a like or directly competitive article.

Any interested party may submit information to rebut, clarify, or correct public comments submitted by any other interested party at any time prior to the deadline provided in this section for submission of such public comments. If public comments are submitted less than 10 days before, or on, the applicable deadline for submission of such public comments, an interested party may submit information to rebut, clarify, or correct the public comments no later than 10 days after the applicable deadline for submission of public comments.

With respect to any request considered by CITA, CITA will make a determination within 60 calendar days of the close of the comment period. If CITA is unable to make a determination within 60 calendar days, it will publish a notice in the Federal Register and include the date by which it will make a determination. If CITA makes a negative determination, it will publish this determination and the reasons therefore in the Federal Register.