[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 25203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12084]



[[Page 25203]]

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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Quota, Visa and ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information 
System) Requirements for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile 
Products Produced or Manufactured in Thailand

May 1, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
quota, visa and ELVIS requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: May 7, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, 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, 1862, as 
amended.

    In exchange of notes dated December 8, 1997, January 20, 1998, 
February 6, 1998 and April 8, 1998, the Governments of the United 
States and Thailand agreed that discharge printed fabric classified in 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 
5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 5208.52.4055 
(Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 5208.59.2015, 
5209.59.0015, 5211.59.0015 (Category 326), 5516.14.0005, 5516.14.0025 
and 5516.14.0085 (Category 611) which is produced or manufactured in 
Thailand and imported on or after May 7, 1998 will no longer be subject 
to visa and ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information System) requirements and 
will not be subject to 1998 limits. The new designations for Categories 
313, 314, 315, 317, 326, 317/326 and 611 will be part-category 313-O, 
314-O, 315-O, 317-O, 326-O, 317-O/326-O and 611-O, respectively. The 
1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317/326 and 
611 remain the same for the newly established part-categories.
    Also effective on May 7, 1998, products in Categories 313, 314, 
315, 317, 326 and 611, produced or manufactured in Thailand and 
exported from Thailand on or after April 8, 1998 must be accompanied by 
a 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O, 326-O and 611-O part-category visa and 
ELVIS transmission. Products currently visaed as 317/326 which are 
exported from Thailand on or after April 8, 1998 must be accompanied by 
either a 317-O/326-O merged part-category visa 317/326 and ELVIS 
transmission, or the correct part-category visa and ELVIS transmission 
(317-O or 326-O) corresponding to the actual shipment. There will be a 
grace period from April 8, 1998 through June 7, 1998 during which 
products exported from Thailand in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317/326 
and 611 may be accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa and 
ELVIS transmission. During the grace period, products visaed in merged 
Categories 317-O/326-O may be accompanied by a 317-O/326-O merged part-
category visa and ELVIS transmission, a 317/326 merged whole category 
visa or the correct whole or part-category visa and ELVIS transmission 
(317, 326, 317-O or 326-O).
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to amend the export quota, visa and ELVIS 
requirements.
    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). Also see 
42 FR 5994, published in February 1, 1977; 57 FR 2713, published on 
January 23, 1992; and 62 FR 60829, published on November 13, 1997.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
May 1, 1998.

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 December 5, 1997, by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That 
directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber, 
silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products, 
produced or manufactured in Thailand and exported during the twelve-
month period which begins on January 1, 1998 and extends through 
December 31, 1998.
    Effective on May 7, 1998, discharge printed fabric classified in 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 
5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 
5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 
5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015, 5211.59.0015 (Category 326), 
5516.14.0005, 5516.14.0025 and 5516.14.0085 (Category 611) which is 
produced or manufactured in Thailand and imported on or after May 7, 
1998 will no longer be subject to visa and ELVIS (Electronic Visa 
Information System) requirements and will not be subject to 1998 
limits, regardless of the date of export, pursuant to exchange of 
notes dated December 8, 1997, January 20, 1998, February 6, 1998 and 
April 8, 1998. The new designations for Categories 313, 314, 315, 
317, 326, 317/326 and 611 will be part-Categories 313-O \1\, 314-O 
\2\, 315-O \3\, 317-O \4\, 326-O \5\, 317-O/326-O and 611-O \6\, 
respectively.
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    \1\ Category 313-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.3035, 
5208.52.4035 and 5209.51.6032.
    \2\ Category 314-O: all HTS numbers except 5209.51.6015.
    \3\ Category 315-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.4055.
    \4\ Category 317-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2085.
    \5\ Category 326-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2015, 
5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015.
    \6\ Category 611-O: all HTS numbers except 5516.14.0005, 
5516.14.0025 and 5516.14.0085.
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    The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315, 
317/326 and 611 remain the same for the newly established part-
Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O/326-O and 611-O.
    Also effective on May 7, 1998, you are directed to amend further 
the directive dated January 16, 1992 to require a part-category visa 
and ELVIS transmission for Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O, 
326-O and 611-O, produced or manufactured in Thailand and exported 
on or after April 8, 1998. Products currently visaed as merged 
Categories 317/326 which are exported from Thailand on or after 
April 8, 1998 must be accompanied by either a 317-O/326-O merged 
part-category visa and ELVIS transmission or the correct part-
category visa and ELVIS transmission (317-O or 326-O) corresponding 
to the actual shipment. There will be a grace period from April 8, 
1998 through June 7, 1998 during which products exported from 
Thailand in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317/326 and 611 may be 
accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa and ELVIS 
transmission. During the grace period, products visaed in merged 
Categories 317-O/326-O may be accompanied by a 317-O/326-O merged 
part-category visa and ELVIS transmission, a 317/326 merged whole 
category visa and ELVIS transmission, or the correct whole or part-
category visa and ELVIS transmission (317, 326, 317-O or 326-O).
    Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this 
directive which are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa 
and ELVIS transmission shall be denied entry and a new visa and 
ELVIS transmission must be obtained.
    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. 98-12084 Filed 5-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F