CAFTA-DR Textile Provision: Addition of Monofilament Yarn

Regs.gov: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

Published July 23rd, 2025

Detected March 14th, 2026

Summary

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has determined that certain 100 percent monofilament yarn is not available in commercial quantities in CAFTA-DR countries. This product will be added to Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR in unrestricted quantities, effective July 23, 2025.

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What changed

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued a determination to add a specific type of 100 percent monofilament yarn to Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR agreement. This action is based on the finding that the yarn is not commercially available in the CAFTA-DR countries in a timely manner. The determination was made following a request from Fechheimer Brothers Co. and a period where no other interested entities offered to supply the product, thus allowing it to be imported in unrestricted quantities.

This change is effective July 23, 2025. Importers and exporters dealing with textiles under the CAFTA-DR agreement should be aware of this addition to the list of commercially available products. While this is a minor change to the agreement's annex, it may affect sourcing decisions for manufacturers and importers who previously relied on the commercial availability provision for this specific yarn. No specific compliance actions are required beyond noting the updated list.

Source document (simplified)

Content

ACTION:

Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR.

SUMMARY:

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (“CITA”) has determined that certain 100 percent monofilament yarn,
as specified below, is not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The product is
added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR in unrestricted quantities.

DATES:

Applicable Date: July 23, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

https://otexaprod.trade.gov/otexacapublicsite/requests/cafta under “Approved Requests,” File Number: CA2025003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kayla Johnson, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-2532 or Kayla.Johnson@trade.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: The CAFTA-DR; Section 203(o)(4) of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation
Act (“CAFTA-DR Implementation Act”), Public Law 109-53; the Statement of Administrative Action accompanying the CAFTA-DR Implementation
Act; and Presidential Proclamation 7987 (February 28, 2006).

Background: The CAFTA-DR provides a list in Annex 3.25 for fabrics, yarns, and fibers that the Parties to the CAFTA-DR have determined
are not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the territory of any Party. The CAFTA-DR provides that this
list may be modified pursuant to Article 3.25.4, when the United States determines that a fabric, yarn, or fiber is not available
in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the territory of any Party. See Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR; see also section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act.

The CAFTA-DR Implementation Act requires the President to establish procedures governing the submission of a request and providing
opportunity for interested entities to submit comments and supporting evidence before a commercial availability determination
is made. In Presidential Proclamation 7987, the President delegated to CITA the authority under section 203(o)(4) of CAFTA-DR
Implementation Act for modifying the Annex 3.25 list. Pursuant to this authority, on September 15, 2008, CITA published modified
procedures it would follow in considering requests to modify the Annex 3.25 list of products determined to be not commercially
available in the territory of any Party to the CAFTA-DR (Modifications to Procedures for Considering Requests Under the Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican Republic-Central
America-United States Free Trade Agreement, 73 FR 53200) (“CITA's Procedures”).

On June 12, 2025, CITA received a Commercial Availability Request (“Request”) from Fechheimer Brothers Co. (“Fechheimer”)
for certain 100 percent polyester monofilament yarn, as specified below. On June 16, 2025, in accordance with CITA's Procedures,
CITA notified interested parties of the Request, which was posted on the dedicated website for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability
proceedings. In its notification, CITA advised that any Response with an Offer to Supply (“Response”) must be submitted by
June 26, 2025, and any Rebuttal to a Response (“Rebuttal”) must be submitted by July 2, 2025, in accordance with sections
6 and 7 of CITA's Procedures. No interested entity submitted a Response to the Request advising CITA of its objection to the
Request with an offer to supply the subject product.

In accordance with section 203(o)(4)(C) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act, and section 8(c)(2) of CITA's Procedures, as no
interested entity submitted a Response objecting to the Request and providing an offer to supply the subject product, CITA
has determined to add the specified yarn to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR.

The subject product has been added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities. A revised
list has been posted on the dedicated website for CAFTA-DR Commercial Availability proceedings, at https://otexaprod.trade.gov/otexacapublicsite/shortsupply/cafta.