June 13, 2008
News Release 08-057
Inv. No. TR-5003-1
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today released its report on the effects of trade benefits accorded to textile and apparel imports from Haiti under legislation enacted in late 2006.

The report, Textiles and Apparel: Effects of Special Rules for Haiti on Trade Markets and Industries, was required by the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HHOPE). The legislation provides expanded trade benefits beyond what Haiti receives under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act. HHOPE was enacted as part of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, which was signed into law in December 2006.

The HHOPE legislation granted U.S. duty-free treatment to imports of qualifying textile and apparel from Haiti if the President determines that Haiti meets certain requirements set out in the statute. The law also required the ITC to report to the Congress on the effects of the law on the trade markets and industries involving textile and apparel in Haiti, the United States, beneficiary countries of the U.S.-Caribbean Basin Trade Preference Act, and countries with which the United States has free trade agreements.

The Commission found that despite challenges facing the Haitian apparel industry, Haitian exports of apparel to the United States rose during 2005-2007. While apparel imports from Haiti make up less than one percent of total apparel imports by the United States, over 90 percent of Haiti's apparel exports are shipped to the United States. The Haitian apparel industry, employing between 15,000 and 18,000 Haitian workers, appears to have benefited from U.S. trade preferences including the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act and the HHOPE Act.

The ITC submitted the report to Congress and released it to the public today.

Textiles and Apparel: Effects of Special Rules for Haiti on Trade Markets and Industries (Investigation No. TR-5003-1, USITC publication 4016, June 2008) is available on the ITC's Internet site at /publications/332/pub4016.pdf.

A CD-ROM of the report may be requested by sending an email to pubrequest@ustic.gov, by calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.