US, Morocco Preliminarily Agree to Revise Textile Rules of Origin Under FTA
U.S. negotiators and the government of Morocco agreed in principle to modify rules of origin for textile and apparel goods under tariff provisions of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement to reflect initial determinations that U.S. and Moroccan producers can’t produce certain fabrics in large bulk quantities in a timely manner, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said in a letter to International Trade Commission Chairman Irving Williamson (here). With final approval, products listed in the agreement as originating would include:
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- Certain dresses, skirts, blouses and tops of 100 percent viscose rayon woven fabric (Harmonized Tariff Schedule Subheadings 6204.44.40, 6204.59.30, 6206.40.30, 6204.29.20, and 6211.43.00)
- Various cotton corduroy skirts and divided skirts classified in HTS Subheading 6204.52
- Certain handmade fiber blouses, shirts, and shirt-blouses of polyester corduroy fabrics classified in HTS Subheading 6206.40
- Various women’s pants, of synthetic bi-stretch fabric of 45 to 52 percent by weight of polyester, 45 to 52 percent of weight by rayon, and 1 to 7 percent of weight by spandex (HTS Subheadings 6204.63.35, 6204.69.25, and 6204.69.90)
- Certain women’s pants of woven fabric 60 to 68 percent by weight of polyester, 29 to 37 percent of weight by rayon, and 1 to 7 percent by weight of spandex (HTS Subheadings 6204.63.35 and 6204.69.90)
- Various women’s pants of woven herringbone fabric of 31 to 37 percent by weight of viscose rayon, 17 to 23 percent by weight of polyester, 17 to 23 percent by weight of cotton, 13 to 19 percent by weight of wool, 5 to 11 percent by weight by nylon, and 1 to 6 percent by weight of spandex (HTS Subheadings 6204.69.25 and 6204.69.90).
Per a request by Froman, the ITC will advise the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative by Jan. 24 on the probable economic effects of the proposed modifications on U.S. trade under the FTA, as well as on total U.S. trade, and on U.S. domestic producers, the ITC said (here). The ITC is accepting comments on the proposals until 5:15 p.m. Oct. 13. The commission plans to publish summaries of interested persons’ positions in an appendix to its report to be submitted to USTR.
(Federal Register 09/13/16)