ITC predicts minimal impact from DR-CAFTA changes

ITC predicts minimal impact from DR-CAFTA changes The U.S. International Trade Commission Tuesday issued the public version of a report on the likely economic impacts from modifications to the rules of origin for certain apparel goods within the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
   'Overall, the modifications will likely have a negligible impact on U.S. production and trade in the subject apparel goods,' a summary of the report said.
   The rules change for pocket bag fabric may help to slow the decline in existing domestic production and exports of pocket bag fabric to DR-CAFTA countries, and could slow growth in U.S. imports from China and other Asian suppliers that accelerated with the elimination of quotas on textile and other apparel goods on Jan. 1, 2005, the report noted.
   The full report, which was requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, is available on the ITC's home page at www.usitc.gov.