02-22865. Announcement of Levels for Certain Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the United Mexican States

September 3, 2002.

AGENCY:

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION:

Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing levels under the North America Free Trade Agreement.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 1, 2003.

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 these limits, 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.gov. For information on embargoes and quota re-openings, refer to the Office of Textiles and Apparel website at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

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.

In order to implement Annex 300-B of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), restrictions and consultation levels for certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products from Mexico are being established for the period beginning on January 1, 2003 and extending through December 31, 2003.

These restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to NAFTA originating goods, as defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 of the NAFTA. In addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from fabrics wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from and re-imported into the United States under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States item 9802.00.90.

The 2003 DCL for Category 433 was reduced by 1,000 dozen to account for an increase of 1,000 dozen to the 2002 DCL. To the extent that the 2002 increase was not used, the 2003 DCL will be increased later in 2003.

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to implement levels for the 2003 period.

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 66 FR 65178, published on December 18, 2001). Information regarding the 2003 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.

James C. Leonard III,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

September 3, 2002.

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 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), between the Governments of the United States, the United Mexican States and Canada, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 2003, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of wool and man-made fiber textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in Mexico and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 2003 and extending through December 31, 2003, in excess of the following levels:

Category	Twelve-month limit
410	397,160 square meters.
433	10,000 dozen.
443	213,496 numbers.
611	1,267,710 square meters.

The levels set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to the provisions of Annex 300-B of the NAFTA.

Products in the above categories exported during 2002 shall be charged to the applicable category levels for that year (see directive dated November 23, 2001) to the extent of any unfilled balances. In the event the levels established for that period have been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged to the levels set forth in this directive.

The foregoing levels do not apply to NAFTA originating goods, as defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 of the NAFTA. In addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from fabrics wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from and re-imported into the United States under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States item 9802.00.90.

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,

James C. Leonard III,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.