[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1863]
[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Amendment of an Import Limit and Restraint Period, Establishment
of Import Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels and Amendment of Export
Visa and Certification Requirements for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-
Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Costa Rica
January 24, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending a
limit and restraint period, establishing limits and guaranteed access
levels and amending visa and certification requirements.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Bivens Collinson, International
Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of these
limits, refer to the Quota Status Reports posted on the bulletin boards
of each Customs port or call (202) 927-5850. For information on
embargoes and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended;
section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C.
1854).
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated December 23, 1993
between the Governments of the United States and Costa Rica, agreement
was reached to amend and extend their current bilateral textile
agreement through December 31, 1995.
In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the
Commissioner of Customs to amend the current restraint period for
Category 447 to begin on March 1, 1993 and extend through December 31,
1993 at an increased level. As a result, the limit for Category 447,
which is currently filled, will re-open. In addition, limits are being
established for Categories 340/640, 342/642, 347/348, 443 and 447 for
the period beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through December
31, 1994. Guaranteed access levels (GALs) are being established for
Categories 340/640, 342/642 347/348 and 443 the period January 1, 1994
through December 31, 1994; and Category 447 for the period February 1,
1994 through December 31, 1994.
Textile products in Category 447, produced or manufactured in Costa
Rica and exported from Costa Rica on and after February 1, 1994 shall
require a visa.
Beginning on February 1, 1994, the U.S. Customs Service will start
signing the first section of the form ITA-370P for shipments of U.S.
formed and cut parts in Category 447 that are destined for Costa Rica
and subject to the GAL established for Category 447 for the period
beginning on February 1, 1994 and extending through December 31, 1994.
These products are governed by Harmonized Tariff item number
9802.00.8015 and chapter 61 Statistical Note 5 and chapter 62
Statistical Note 3 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Interested
parties should be aware that shipments of cut parts in Category 447
must be accompanied by a form ITA-370P, signed by a U.S. Customs
officer, prior to export from the United States for assembly in Costa
Rica in order to qualify for entry under the Special Access Program.
A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS
numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories
with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal
Register notice 58 FR 62645, published on November 29, 1993). Also see
58 FR 34991, published on June 30, 1993.
Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are
available in Federal Register notices 51 FR 21208, published on June
11, 1986; 52 FR 26057, published on July 10, 1987; 54 FR 50425,
published on December 6, 1989; and 55 FR 21047, published on May 22,
1990.
The letter to the Commissioner of Customs and the actions taken
pursuant to it are not designed to implement all of the provisions of
the MOU, but are designed to assist only in the implementation of
certain of its provisions.
Ronald I. Levin,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 24, 1994.
Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.
Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel
the directive issued to you on June 24, 1993 by the Chairman,
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. This
directive concerns imports of wool textile products in Category 447,
produced or manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the
period beginning on February 25, 1993 and extending through February
24, 1994.
Effective on February 1, 1994, you are directed to amend the
restraint period for Category 447 to begin on March 1, 1993 and
extend through December 31, 1993 at a level of 10,000 dozen\1\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The limit has not been adjusted to account for any imports
exported after February 28, 1993.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the terms of section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956,
as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), and the Arrangement Regarding
International Trade in Textiles done at Geneva on December 20, 1973,
as further extended on December 9, 1993; pursuant to the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) dated December 23, 1993, between the
Governments of the United States and Costa Rica; and in accordance
with the provisions of Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as
amended, you are directed to prohibit, effective on February 1,
1994, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal
from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-made fiber
textile products in the following categories, produced or
manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the twelve-month
period beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through December
31, 1994, in excess of the following restraint limits:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Category Twelve-month limita
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640............................ 769,479 dozen.
342/642............................ 284,058 dozen.
347/348............................ 1,296,741 dozen.
443................................ 204,020 numbers.
447................................ 11,000 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
aThe limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported
after December 31, 1993.
Imports charged to these category limits for the periods January
1, 1993 through December 31, 1993 and March 1, 1993 through December
31, 1993 (Category 447) shall be charged against those levels of
restraint to the extent of any unfilled balances. In the event the
limits established for those periods have been exhausted by previous
entries, such goods shall be subject to the levels set forth in this
directive.
The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment in the
future pursuant to the provisions of the MOU dated December 23, 1993
between the Governments of the United States and Costa Rica.
Also effective on February 1, 1994, you are directed to amend
further the directive dated May 15, 1990 to require a visa for
textile products in Category 447, produced or manufactured in Costa
Rica and exported from Costa Rica on and after February 1, 1994.
Additionally, pursuant to the December 23, 1993 MOU; and under
the terms of the Special Access Program, as set forth in 51 FR 21208
(June 11, 1986), 52 FR 26057 (July 10, 1987) and 54 FR 50425
(December 6, 1989), effective on February 1, 1994, guaranteed access
levels have been established for properly certified cotton, wool and
man-made fiber textile products in the following categories which
are assembled in Costa Rica from fabric formed and cut in the United
States and re-exported to the United States from Costa Rica during
the periods beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through
December 31, 1994:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Category Guaranteed access level
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640............................ 650,000 dozen.
342/642............................ 250,000 dozen.
347/348............................ 1,500,000 dozen.
443................................ 200,000 numbers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effective on February 1, 1994, a guaranteed access level of
4,000 dozen is being established for Category 447 for the period
beginning on February 1, 1994 and extending through December 31,
1994. Beginning on February 1, 1994, the U.S. Customs Service is
directed to start signing the first section of form ITA-370P for
shipments of U.S. formed and cut parts in Category 447 that are
destined for Costa Rica and re-exported to the United States on and
after February 1, 1994.
Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification and Export
Declaration in accordance with the provisions of the certification
requirements established in the directive of May 15, 1990, shall be
denied entry unless the Government of Costa Rica authorizes the
entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limit. Any
shipment which is declared for entry under the Special Access
Program but found not to qualify shall be denied entry into the
United States.
In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner of
Customs should construe entry into the United States for consumption
to include entry for consumption into the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has
determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs
exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
Sincerely,
Ronald I. Levin,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 94-1863 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F
