CEPA Recommends Changes to CAFTA Short Supply Rules
The Coalition for Economic Partnerships in the Americas has posted its recommendations for changes to the short-supply rules in CAFTA-DR, the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.
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It recommends that a review be done to identify which yarns and fabrics are not produced in commercial quantities either in the U.S. or in CAFTA-DR countries, and that those "be immediately deemed to be in short supply." The group said that the review could also evaluate if any goods on the short supply list are no longer in short supply. They recommend this be done every five years.
It recommends that the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements be more generous in approving short supply requests that it currently denies, either by allowing unlimited quantities for a set time period or allowing restricted quantities.
Objectors should only be allowed to object if they can provide samples to requestors, the group said.
There should be no substitutable goods provision, the group said, as it is too subjective, and is not in the text of the agreement.