[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63522-63523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31429]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access 
Levels for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber and Other Vegetable 
Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Jamaica

November 24, 1997.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits and guaranteed access levels.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, 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 or call (202) 927-5850. 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 and Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for 
textile products, produced or manufactured in Jamaica and exported 
during the period January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998 are based 
on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the 
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access 
levels for the period January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998.
    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 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 1996). 
Information regarding the 1998 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.
    Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are 
available in Federal Register notices 51 FR 21208, published on June 
11, 1986; 52 FR 6049, published on February 27, 1987; 52 FR 26057, 
published on July 10, 1987; 54 FR 50425, published on December 6, 1989, 
and 62 FR 49206, published on September 19, 1997.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 24, 1997.

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, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made 
fiber and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products in the 
following categories, produced or manufactured in Jamaica and 
exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1998 
and extending through December 31, 1998, in excess of the following 
levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
331/631................................  680,313 dozen pairs.           
338/339/638/639........................  1,341,400 dozen.               

[[Page 63523]]

                                                                        
340/640................................  627,273 dozen of which not more
                                          than 530,770 dozen shall be in
                                          shirts made from fabrics with 
                                          two or more colors in the warp
                                          and/or the filling in         
                                          Categories 340-Y/640-Y \1\.   
341/641................................  787,663 dozen.                 
345/845................................  194,359 dozen.                 
347/348/647/648........................  1,447,873 dozen.               
352/652................................  2,163,395 dozen.               
445/446................................  53,134 dozen.                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 340-Y: only HTS numbers 6205.20.2015, 6205.20.2020,        
  6205.20.2046, 6205.20.2050 and 6205.20.2060; Category 640-Y: only HTS 
  numbers 6205.30.2010, 6205.30.2020, 6205.30.2050 and 6205.30.2060.    

    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 1997 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated December 18, 1996) 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.
    Also pursuant to the ATC; and under the terms of the Special 
Access Program, as set forth in 51 FR 21208 (June 11, 1986), 52 FR 
26057 (July 10, 1987), 54 FR 50425 (December 6, 1989) and 62 FR 
49206 (September 19, 1997), you are directed to establish guaranteed 
access levels for properly certified cotton, man-made fiber and 
other vegetable fiber textile products in the following categories 
which are assembled in Jamaica from fabric formed and cut in the 
United States and re-exported to the United States from Jamaica 
during the twelve-month period which begins on January 1, 1998 and 
extends through December 31, 1998:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                     Guaranteed Access Level    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
331/631................................  1,320,000 dozen pairs.         
336/636................................  125,000 dozen.                 
338/339/638/639........................  1,500,000 dozen.               
340/640................................  300,000 dozen.                 
341/641................................  375,000 dozen.                 
342/642................................  200,000 dozen.                 
345/845................................  50,000 dozen.                  
347/348/647/648........................  2,000,000 dozen.               
352/652................................  10,500,000 dozen.              
447....................................  30,000 dozen.                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is 
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification and Export 
Declaration in accordance with the provisions of the certification 
requirements established in the directive of February 19, 1987 shall 
be denied entry unless the Government of Jamaica authorizes the 
entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limits. Any 
shipment which is declared for entry under the Special Access 
Program but found not to qualify shall be denied entry into the 
United States.
    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 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.97-31429 Filed 11-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F