The US is launching a factfinding investigation to examine the export competitiveness of the apparel industries in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan.
- The investigation will be undertaken by the US International Trade Commission (USITC). The investigation, Apparel: Export Competitiveness of Certain Foreign Suppliers to the United States (Investigation No. 332-602), was requested by the US Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on 20 December 2023.
The investigation: The USITC will prepare a public report. It will provide, to the extent practicable:
- A comparison of the relative US market shares held by Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan currently (up to and including calendar year 2023, if available) and five (2018) and ten (2013) years ago; and an analysis of changing patterns in market shares and trade including against other top suppliers, noting any significant shifts;
- Country-specific profiles of the apparel industries in the five countries, including information on investment, vertical integration, duty-free access to the US market, wages and labour productivity, and sourcing of inputs, as well as an assessment of the export competitiveness of each country in the US market considering major factors of competitiveness such as trade, industry structure, price and costs, product differentiation, and reliability, using available statistical and qualitative information;
- A review of general literature on the key determinants driving export competitiveness in the global apparel industry, to the extent that it is relevant to conditions in the selected countries; and
- A data appendix, to the degree that additional data relevant to competitiveness are identified by the review of the literature and are available.
The process: The USITC expects to submit its report to the USTR by 30 August 2024.
- The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on 7 March.
- The USITC is also calling for written submissions for the record. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.
