Request for Public Comment on the Due Diligence Requirement Under the Commercial Availability Procedures of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).
ACTION: Request for Public Comment on the Due Diligence Requirement Under the CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability Procedures.
SUMMARY: CITA requests public comment on the due diligence requirement under the CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability procedures. Comments should be submitted no later than January 3, 2008 to the attention of: R. Matthew Priest, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: Authority: Section 203(o)(4) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CAFTA-DR); CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability Final Procedures (72 FR 13256, published March 21, 2007) (Final Procedures).
BACKGROUND: The CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability provision permits the use of non-originating CAFTA-DR products by implementing procedures that allow products to be placed on or removed from a product list, on a timely basis, and in a manner that is consistent with normal business practice.
The Final Procedures provide that the procedures may be modified to address concerns that may arise as CITA gains experience in implementing them. CITA notes that these are administrative procedures rather than regulations, and can be modified as needed.