ITC to Probe Apparel Industries

The International Trade Commission announced Tuesday it is launching a new fact finding investigation that will examine the export competitiveness of the apparel industries in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia and Pakistan.

The investigation was requested by the US Trade Representative. The ITC will prepare a public report.

The report will include:

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 above-listed countries, including information on investment, vertical integration, duty-free access to the US market, wages and labor 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 ITC expects to submit its report to the Trade Representative by August 30.
A public hearing in connection with the investigation will be held on March 7 at 9:30 am.