Imports of Certain Worsted Wool Fabric: Implementation of Tariff Rate Quota Established Under Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000.

The Department of Commerce ("Commerce") is amending its regulation, which governs the establishment of tariff rate quotas (TRQ) for a limited quantity of worsted wool fabrics pursuant to Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 ("the Act") as amended by the Trade Act of 2002 and the Miscellaneous Trade Act of 2004, (Public law 108-429). Section 501(e) of the Act requires the President to fairly allocate TRQs on the import of certain worsted wool fabric. Section 504(b) of the Act authorizes the President to modify the limitations on worsted wool fabric imports under TRQs. The President has delegated to the Secretary of Commerce the authority to allocate the quantity of imports under the TRQs (specifically for wool products under HTS headings, 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12) and to determine whether the limitations on the quantity of imports under the TRQs should be modified. This interim rule is necessary to implement the amendment to the Act included in the Miscellaneous Trade Act of 2004, (Public law 108-429). Principally, this document amends the regulations to specify which HTS categories may be allocated as TRQs and to eliminate Commerce's authority to modify these quotas.