96-1991. Changes to Customs List of Designated Public International Organizations  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 22 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 3569-3571]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-1991]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
    19 CFR Part 148
    
    [T.D. 96-13]
    
    
    Changes to Customs List of Designated Public International 
    Organizations
    
    AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.
    
    
    [[Page 3570]]
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: This document amends the Customs Regulations by updating 
    Customs list of designated public international organizations entitled 
    to certain free entry privileges provided for under provisions of the 
    International Organizations Immunities Act. The last time the list was 
    updated was in 1993 and since then the President has issued several 
    Executive Orders which designate certain organizations as entitled to 
    this free entry privilege. Accordingly, Customs deems it appropriate to 
    update the list at this time.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Sequeira, Director, 
    International Organizations & Agreements Division, Office of 
    International Affairs, (202) 927-1480.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Background
    
        The International Organizations Immunities Act, 22 U.S.C. 288, 
    generally provides that certain international organizations, agencies, 
    and committees, those in which the United States participates or 
    otherwise has an interest and which have been designated by the 
    President through appropriate Executive Order as public international 
    organizations, are entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions, 
    and immunities conferred by the Act. The Department of State lists the 
    public international organizations, designated by the President as 
    entitled to enjoy any measure of the privileges, exemptions, and 
    immunities conferred by the Act, in the notes following the provisions 
    of Section 288.
        One of the privileges provided for under the Act is that the 
    baggage and effects of alien officers, employees, and representatives--
    and their families, suites, and servants--to the designated 
    organization, are admitted free of duty and without entry. Those 
    designated organizations entitled to this duty-free entry privilege are 
    delineated at Sec. 148.87(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 148.87(b)). 
    Thus, the list of public international organizations maintained by 
    Customs is for the limited purpose of identifying those organizations 
    entitled to the duty-free entry privilege; it does not necessarily 
    include all of the international organizations that are on the list 
    maintained by the Department of State, which delineates all of the 
    international organizations designated by the President regardless of 
    the extent of the privileges conferred.
        Since the last revision of Sec. 148.87(b) in 1993 (T.D. 93-45), 
    four Executive Orders have been issued designating certain 
    organizations as public international organizations. Collectively, 
    these Executive Orders add 7 international organizations to Customs 
    list of public international organizations entitled to the duty-free 
    entry privilege--bringing the total of designated international 
    organizations to 68, as follows:
        1. Executive Order 12842 of March 29, 1993, 58 FR 17081, 3 CFR 1993 
    Comp., p. 592, 29 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 505, designated the 
    International Development Law Institute;
        2. Executive Order 12894 of January 26, 1994, 59 FR 4237, 3 CFR 
    1994 Comp., p. 857, 30 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 159, designated the 
    North Pacific Marine Science Organization;
        3. Executive Order 12895 of January 26, 1994, 50 FR 4237, 3 CFR 
    1994 Comp., p. 857, 30 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 159, designated the 
    North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission; and
        4. Executive Order 12904 of March 16, 1994, 59 FR 13179, 3 CFR 1994 
    Comp., p. 880, 30 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 550, designated the 
    Commission for Environmental Cooperation, the Commission for Labor 
    Cooperation, the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, and the 
    North American Development Bank pursuant to the North American Free 
    Trade Agreement Implementation Act.
    
    Inapplicability of Public Notice and Comment Requirements, Delayed 
    Effective Date Requirements, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and 
    Executive Order 12866
    
        Because this amendment merely corrects the listing of designated 
    organizations entitled by law to free entry privileges as public 
    international organizations, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), good cause 
    exists for dispensing with notice and public procedure thereon as 
    unnecessary. For the same reason, good cause exists for dispensing with 
    a delayed effective date under 5 U.S.C. 553(d) (1) and (3). Since this 
    document is not subject to the notice and public procedure requirements 
    of 5 U.S.C. 553, it is not subject to provisions of the Regulatory 
    Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). This document does not meet the 
    criteria for a ``significant regulatory action'' as specified in E.O. 
    12866.
    
    Drafting Information
    
        The principal author of this document was Gregory R. Vilders, 
    Attorney, Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings.
    
    List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 148
    
        Foreign officials, Government employees, International 
    organizations, Privileges and immunities, Taxes.
    
    Amendment to the Regulations
    
        For the reasons stated above, part 148, Customs Regulations (19 CFR 
    part 148), is amended as set forth below:
    
    PART 148--PERSONAL DECLARATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS
    
        1. The general authority citation for part 148 is revised to read 
    as follows:
    
        Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1496, 1498, 1624. The provisions of 
    this part, except for subpart C, are also issued under 19 U.S.C. 
    1202 (General Note 20, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
    States);
    * * * * *
        2. Section 148.87(b) is amended by adding the following, in 
    appropriate alphabetical order, to the table, to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 148.87  Officers and employees of, and representatives to, public 
    international organizations.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Executive                           
               Organization               order               Date          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    Border Environmental Cooperation        12904  Mar. 16, 1994.           
     Commission.                                                            
                                                                            
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    Commission for Environmental            12904  Mar. 16, 1994.           
     Cooperation.                                                           
                                                                            
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    Commission for Labor Cooperation..      12904  Mar. 16, 1994.           
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    International Development Law           12842  Mar. 29, 1993.           
     Institute.                                                             
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    North American Development Bank...      12904  Mar. 16, 1994.           
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    North Pacific Anadromous Fish           12895  Jan. 26, 1994.           
     Commission.                                                            
                      *        *        *        *        *                 
    North Pacific Marine Science            12894  Jan. 26, 1994.           
     Organization.                                                          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    [[Page 3571]]
    
    * * * * *
    George J. Weise,
    Commissioner of Customs.
    
        Approved: December 22, 1995.
    John P. Simpson,
    Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
    [FR Doc. 96-1991 Filed 1-31-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4820-02-P
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
2/1/1996
Published:
02/01/1996
Department:
Treasury Department
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
96-1991
Dates:
February 1, 1996.
Pages:
3569-3571 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
T.D. 96-13
PDF File:
96-1991.pdf
CFR: (1)
19 CFR 148.87