98-33499. Announcement of an Import Limit for Certain Wool Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Russia

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 70110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33499]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of an Import Limit for Certain Wool Textile Products 
Produced or Manufactured in Russia

December 14, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
a limit.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, [phone]. For information on the quota status of this 
limit, refer to the Quota Status Reports posted on the bulletin boards 
of each Customs port, call [phone], or refer to the U.S. Customs 
website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. For information on embargoes 
and quota re-openings, call [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as 
amended.

    The Bilateral Textile Agreement, effected by exchange of notes 
dated August 13, 1996 and September 9, 1996, as amended, between the 
Governments of the United States and the Russian Federation establishes 
a limit for wool textile products in Category 435 for the period 
January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish the limit for 1999.
    This limit may be revised if Russia becomes a member of the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Russia.
    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 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997). 
Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 14, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

    Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to section 204 of the Agricultural 
Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of 
March 3, 1972, as amended; and the Bilateral Textile Agreement, 
effected by exchange of notes dated August 13, 1996 and September 9, 
1996, as amended, between the Governments of the United States and 
the Russian Federation, you are directed to prohibit, effective on 
January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of wool textile products 
in Category 435, produced or manufactured in Russia and exported 
during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1999 and 
extending through December 31, 1999, in excess of 53,060 dozen.
    The limit set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and the Russian Federation.
    Products in the above category exported during 1998 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limit for that year (see 
directive dated November 24, 1997) to the extent of any unfilled 
balance. In the event the limit established for that period has been 
exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged to the 
limit set forth in this directive.
    This limit may be revised if Russia becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Russia.
    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 this action falls within the foreign affairs 
exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.98-33499 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F