[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 10124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5064]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Amendment of Coverage of Unit of Quantity Requirement for Textile
and Apparel Products Produced or Manufactured in Various Countries to
Include Coverage of Bangladesh, Egypt and Turkey
February 23, 1999.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending
coverage of the requirement that visa quantities be in whole numbers
only.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-4212.
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.
As stated in a notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs
dated November 30, 1998, published in the Federal Register on December
4, 1998 (63 FR 67053), the United States Government has notified all
countries with visa arrangements with the United States of the
requirement to issue visas in whole numbers. In that letter, the
Chairman of CITA directed the Commissioner of Customs to require that
the quantity stated on the visa be listed in whole numbers only.
Subsequently, in a notice and letter dated December 21, 1998, published
in the Federal Register on December 29, 1998 (63 FR 71622), this
directive was amended, excluding Bangladesh, Egypt, Peru, Trinidad and
Tobago, and Turkey from this requirement, and directing Customs not to
deny entry to products from these countries solely because the
accompanying visa states the quantity using decimals or fractions.
The Governments of Bangladesh, Egypt and Turkey have agreed to
implement this requirement. Effective on April 1, 1999, products
produced or manufactured in Bangladesh, Egypt and Turkey must be
accompanied by a visa stating the quantity in whole numbers only. The
requirement will apply to products exported on or after April 1, 1999.
There will be a 30-day grace period, beginning on April 1, 1999 and
extending through April 30, 1999, during which Customs shall not deny
entry for products produced or manufactured in Bangladesh, Egypt and
Turkey solely because the accompanying visa does not state the quantity
in whole numbers. Customs will continue to use standard rounding
procedures for such products. Goods exported on or after May 1, 1999
must have visas in whole numbers.
In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the
Commissioner of Customs to implement the November 30, 1998 directive
for textile products produced or manufactured in Bangladesh, Egypt and
Turkey and exported on or after April 1, 1999.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
February 23, 1999.
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 November 30, 1998, as amended on
December 21, 1998 by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation
of Textile Agreements. The former directive directs you to require
that shipment quantities of textile and apparel products entered
into the United States be stated on the visa in whole numbers only.
The latter directive excludes, among other countries, Bangladesh,
Egypt and Turkey from this requirement.
The Governments of Bangladesh, Egypt and Turkey agreed to
implement this visa requirement. Effective on April 1, 1999, you are
directed to implement this requirement for textile products produced
or manufactured in Bangladesh, Egypt and Turkey and exported on or
after April 1, 1999. The requirement for the use of whole numbers
will be effective only for goods exported on or after April 1, 1999.
Textile products produced or manufactured in Bangladesh, Egypt
and Turkey and exported during the period April 1, 1999 through
April 30, 1999 shall not denied entry solely because the
accompanying visa states the quantity using decimals or fractions.
However, Customs will continue to charge in whole units using
standard rounding procedures. Goods exported on or after May 1, 1999
must have visas in whole numbers.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has
determined that these actions fall 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. 99-5064 Filed 3-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F
