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China:Textiles coalition calls for capping imports from China |
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2004-10-14
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A caucus of US textile, apparel, fiber production and labor has petitioned the Bush administration Tuesday for restricting imports from China.
It has filed a safeguard petition covering categories 347 and 348, which are described as men''s and boys'' and women''s and girls'' cotton trousers, on Oct.8, the coalition announced at a press conference.
Nine additional petitions covering 13 more categories were expected to be filed in the coming days, informed the coalition.
The ten threat-based safeguard petitions cover 15 of the 91 product categories on which US quotas will expire on January 1, 2005, it said.
In addition to the above, it said further three petitions for safeguarding in five categories including knit fabric, bras and dressing gowns and robes were expected to be filed for an extension of the safeguards placed by the US government on December 24, 2003.
The petitions were filed with the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), the coalition said.
CITA is a five-member interagency group comprised of representatives from the US Department of Commerce, State, Labor and Treasury as well as the Office of the US Trade Representative. At least three agencies must vote to approve any safeguard petition.
Once a safeguard petition is filed, CITA has 15 working days toaccept or reject the petition on its technical merits. If the petition is accepted, a 30-day public comment then commences, followed by a 60-day CITA decision-making window.
If CITA approves a safeguard petition, the United States can limit Chinese exports in the safeguard categories to growth of only 7.5 percent above current levels next year.
The limitations can be imposed for only one year at a time but US manufacturers can petition for them to be re-imposed for succeeding years through 2008, according to the coalition. |
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