[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 233 (Friday, December 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67048-67050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32354]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool,
Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Hong Kong
November 30, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing
limits.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the U.S. Customs
website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. For information on embargoes
and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.
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 import restraint limits for textile products, produced or
manufactured in Hong Kong and exported during the period January 1,
1999 through December 31, 1999 are based on limits notified to the
Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on
Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required for
products integrated in the second stage of the integration of textiles
and clothing into GATT 1994 from WTO member countries (see 63 FR 53881,
published on October 7, 1998). A visa will continue to be required for
non-integrated products. For quota purposes only, products remaining in
categories partially integrated will continue to be designated by the
designator ``pt.''
In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the
Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1999 limits. These limits have
been increased, variously, for adjustments permitted under the
flexibility provisions of the ATC.
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
[[Page 67049]]
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
November 30, 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 Uruguay Round Agreement on
Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective
on January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for consumption and
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made
fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile
products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in
Hong Kong and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on
January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31, 1999, in excess
of the following levels of restraint:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Category Twelve-month restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group I
200-227, 300-326, 360-363, 369(1) \1\, 248,373,685 square meters
369pt. \2\, 400-414, 464, 469pt. \3\, 600- equivalent.
629, 666, 669pt. \4\ and 670, as a group.
Sublevels in Group I
219....................................... 43,774,441 square meters.
218/225/317/326........................... 75,509,804 square meters of
which not more than
4,158,786 square meters
shall be in Category 218(1)
\5\ (yarn dyed fabric other
than denim and jacquard).
611....................................... 6,901,630 square meters.
617....................................... 4,354,444 square meters.
Group I subgroup
200, 226/313, 314, 315, 369(1) and 604, as 116,923,712 square meters
a group equivalent.
Within Group I subgroup
200....................................... 377,406 kilograms.
226/313................................... 78,521,945 square meters.
314....................................... 21,176,426 square meters
315....................................... 10,469,698 square meters.
369(1) (shoptowels)....................... 860,397 kilograms.
604....................................... 259,063 kilograms.
Group II
237, 239pt. \6\, 331-348, 350-352, 359(1) 855,820,099 square meters
\7\, 359(2) \8\, 359pt. \9\, 431, 433- equivalent.
438, 440-448, 459pt. \10\, 631, 633-652,
659(1) \11\, 659(2) \12\, 659pt. \13\,
and 443/444/643/644/843/844(1), as a
group.
Sublevels in Group II
237....................................... 1,265,837 dozen.
331....................................... 4,336,479 dozen pairs.
333/334................................... 312,390 dozen.
335....................................... 347,274 dozen.
338/339 \14\ (shirts and blouses other 2,951,725 dozen.
than tank tops and tops, knit).
338/339(1) \15\ (tank tops and knit tops). 2,217,646 dozen.
340....................................... 2,826,588 dozen.
345....................................... 475,195 dozen.
347/348................................... 6,846,378 dozen of which not
more than 6,756,378 dozen
shall be in Categories 347-
W/348-W \16\; and not more
than 5,120,239 dozen shall
be in Category 348-W.
352....................................... 7,445,492 dozen.
359(1) (coveralls, overalls and jumpsuits) 649,428 kilograms.
359(2) (vests)............................ 1,353,543 kilograms.
433....................................... 10,663 dozen.
434....................................... 11,446 dozen.
435....................................... 77,706 dozen.
436....................................... 101,208 dozen.
438....................................... 831,206 dozen.
442....................................... 94,572 dozen.
443....................................... 63,856 numbers.
444....................................... 42,823 numbers.
445/446................................... 1,373,874 dozen.
447/448................................... 69,092 dozen.
631....................................... 702,558 dozen pairs.
633/634/635............................... 1,401,229 dozen of which not
more than 524,090 dozen
shall be in Categories 633/
634; and not more than
1,075,986 dozen shall be in
Category 635.
638/639................................... 4,955,336 dozen.
641....................................... 856,261 dozen.
644....................................... 47,651 numbers.
645/646................................... 1,358,164 dozen.
647....................................... 584,436 dozen.
648....................................... 1,193,100 dozen of which not
more than 1,178,310 dozen
shall be in Category 648-W
\17\.
649....................................... 899,796 dozen.
650....................................... 186,074 dozen.
652....................................... 5,226,191 dozen.
659(1) (coveralls, overalls and jumpsuits) 717,789 kilograms.
659(2) (swimsuits)........................ 297,137 kilograms.
443/444/643/644/843/844(1) (made-to- 59,256 numbers.
measure suits).
Group II subgroup
336, 341, 342, 350, 351, 636, 640, 642 and 161,892,727 square meters
651, as a group. equivalent.
Within Group II subgroup
336....................................... 244,484 dozen.
341....................................... 2,861,158 dozen.
342....................................... 580,865 dozen.
350....................................... 144,826 dozen.
351....................................... 1,208,423 dozen.
636....................................... 329,033 dozen.
640....................................... 1,011,349 dozen.
642....................................... 261,660 dozen.
651....................................... 356,335 dozen.
Group III
831, 833-838, 840-844, 847-858 and 859pt. 46,482,012 square meters
\18\, as a group. equivalent.
Sublevels in Group III
834....................................... 13,391 dozen.
835....................................... 116,441 dozen.
836....................................... 174,460 dozen.
840....................................... 691,677 dozen.
842....................................... 272,972 dozen.
847....................................... 371,455 dozen.
Limits not in a group
845(1) \19\ (sweaters made in Hong Kong).. 1,131,105 dozen.
845(2) \20\ (sweaters assembled in Hong 2,707,434 dozen.
Kong from knit-to-shape components, knit
elsewhere).
846(1) \21\ (sweaters made in Hong Kong).. 182,910 dozen.
846(2) \22\ (sweaters assembled in Hong 440,745 dozen.
Kong from knit-to-shape components, knit
elsewhere).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 369(1): only HTS number 6307.10.2005.
\2\ Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090,
5701.90.1020, 5701.90.2020, 5702.10.9020, 5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020,
5702.49.1080, 5702.59.1000, 5702.99.1010, 5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020,
6406.10.7700 and HTS number in 369(1).
\3\ Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010
and 6406.10.9020.
\4\ Category 669pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.10.2000, 5601.22.0090,
5607.49.3000, 5607.50.4000 and 6406.10.9040.
\5\ Category 218(1): all HTS numbers except 5209.42.0060, 5209.42.0080,
5211.42.0060, 5211.42.0080, 5514.32.0015 and 5516.43.0015.
[[Page 67050]]
\6\ Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).
\7\ Category 359(1): only HTS numbers 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034,
6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010,
6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and
6211.42.0010.
\8\ Category 359(2): only HTS numbers 6103.19.2030, 6103.19.9030,
6104.12.0040, 6104.19.8040, 6110.20.1022, 6110.20.1024, 6110.20.2030,
6110.20.2035, 6110.90.9044, 6110.90.9046, 6201.92.2010, 6202.92.2020,
6203.19.1030, 6203.19.9030, 6204.12.0040, 6204.19.8040, 6211.32.0070
and 6211.42.0070.
\9\ Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6406.99.1550 and HTS numbers
in 359(1) and 359(2).
\10\ Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060,
6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560.
\11\ Category 659(1): only HTS numbers 6103.23.0055, 6103.43.2020,
6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020, 6104.63.1030,
6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054, 6203.43.2010,
6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510, 6204.69.1010,
6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017 and 6211.43.0010.
\12\ Category 659(2): only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020,
6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010,
6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.
\13\ Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except 6406.99.1510, 6406.99.1540
and HTS numbers in 659(1) and 659(2).
\14\ Categories 338/339: all HTS numbers except 6109.10.0018,
6109.10.0023, 6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and
6114.20.0010.
\15\ Category 338/339(1): only HTS numbers 6109.10.0018, 6109.10.0023,
6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and 6114.20.0010.
\16\ Category 347-W: only HTS numbers 6203.19.1020, 6203.19.9020,
6203.22.3020, 6203.22.3030, 6203.42.4005, 6203.42.4010, 6203.42.4015,
6203.42.4025, 6203.42.4035, 6203.42.4045, 6203.42.4050, 6203.42.4060,
6203.49.8020, 6210.40.9033, 6211.20.1520, 6211.20.3810 and
6211.32.0040;Category 348-W: only HTS numbers 6204.12.0030,
6204.19.8030, 6204.22.3040, 6204.22.3050, 6204.29.4034, 6204.62.3000,
6204.62.4005, 6204.62.4010, 6204.62.4020, 6204.62.4030, 6204.62.4040,
6204.62.4050, 6204.62.4055, 6204.62.4065, 6204.69.6010, 6204.69.9010,
6210.50.9060, 6211.20.1550, 6211.20.6810, 6211.42.0030 and
6217.90.9050.
\17\ Category 648-W: only HTS numbers 6204.23.0040, 6204.23.0045,
6204.29.2020, 6204.29.2025, 6204.29.4038, 6204.63.2000, 6204.63.3000,
6204.63.3510, 6204.63.3530, 6204.63.3532, 6204.63.3540, 6204.69.2510,
6204.69.2530, 6204.69.2540, 6204.69.2560, 6204.69.6030, 6204.69.9030,
6210.50.5035, 6211.20.1555, 6211.20.6820, 6211.43.0040 and
6217.90.9060.
\18\ Category 859pt.: only HTS numbers 6115.19.8040, 6117.10.6020,
6212.10.5030, 6212.10.9040, 6212.20.0030, 6212.30.0030, 6212.90.0090,
6214.10.2000 and 6214.90.0090.
\19\ Category 845(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2074, 6104.29.2079,
6110.90.9024, 6110.90.9042 and 6117.90.9015.
\20\ Category 845(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2070, 6104.29.2077,
6110.90.9022 and 6110.90.9040.
\21\ Category 846(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2068, 6104.29.2075,
6110.90.9020 and 6110.90.9038.
\22\ Category 846(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2066, 6104.29.2073,
6110.90.9018 and 6110.90.9036.
The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to
the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified
to the Textiles Monitoring Body.
Products in the above categories exported during 1998 shall be
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see
directive dated December 22, 1997) to the extent of any unfilled
balances. In the event the limits established for that period have
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged
to the limits set forth in this directive.
Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required
for products integrated in the second stage of the integration of
textiles and clothing into GATT 1994 from WTO member countries (see
directive dated September 30, 1998). A visa will continue to be
required for non-integrated products. For quota purposes only,
products remaining in categories partially integrated will continue
to be designated by the designator ``pt.''
The conversion factors for merged Categories 333/334, 633/634/
635 and 638/639 are 33, 33.90 and 13, respectively. The conversion
factor for Category 239pt. is 8.79.
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,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 98-32354 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F
