[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1863]


[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Amendment of an Import Limit and Restraint Period, Establishment 
of Import Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels and Amendment of Export 
Visa and Certification Requirements for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-
Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Costa Rica

January 24, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending a 
limit and restraint period, establishing limits and guaranteed access 
levels and amending visa and certification requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: February 1, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Bivens Collinson, 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: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended; 
section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
1854).

    In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated December 23, 1993 
between the Governments of the United States and Costa Rica, agreement 
was reached to amend and extend their current bilateral textile 
agreement through December 31, 1995.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to amend the current restraint period for 
Category 447 to begin on March 1, 1993 and extend through December 31, 
1993 at an increased level. As a result, the limit for Category 447, 
which is currently filled, will re-open. In addition, limits are being 
established for Categories 340/640, 342/642, 347/348, 443 and 447 for 
the period beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through December 
31, 1994. Guaranteed access levels (GALs) are being established for 
Categories 340/640, 342/642 347/348 and 443 the period January 1, 1994 
through December 31, 1994; and Category 447 for the period February 1, 
1994 through December 31, 1994.
    Textile products in Category 447, produced or manufactured in Costa 
Rica and exported from Costa Rica on and after February 1, 1994 shall 
require a visa.
    Beginning on February 1, 1994, the U.S. Customs Service will start 
signing the first section of the form ITA-370P for shipments of U.S. 
formed and cut parts in Category 447 that are destined for Costa Rica 
and subject to the GAL established for Category 447 for the period 
beginning on February 1, 1994 and extending through December 31, 1994. 
These products are governed by Harmonized Tariff item number 
9802.00.8015 and chapter 61 Statistical Note 5 and chapter 62 
Statistical Note 3 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Interested 
parties should be aware that shipments of cut parts in Category 447 
must be accompanied by a form ITA-370P, signed by a U.S. Customs 
officer, prior to export from the United States for assembly in Costa 
Rica in order to qualify for entry under the Special Access Program.
    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 58 FR 62645, published on November 29, 1993). Also see 
58 FR 34991, published on June 30, 1993.
    Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are 
available in Federal Register notices 51 FR 21208, published on June 
11, 1986; 52 FR 26057, published on July 10, 1987; 54 FR 50425, 
published on December 6, 1989; and 55 FR 21047, published on May 22, 
1990.
    The letter to the Commissioner of Customs and the actions taken 
pursuant to it are not designed to implement all of the provisions of 
the MOU, but are designed to assist only in the implementation of 
certain of its provisions.
Ronald I. Levin,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 24, 1994.

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 June 24, 1993 by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. This 
directive concerns imports of wool textile products in Category 447, 
produced or manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the 
period beginning on February 25, 1993 and extending through February 
24, 1994.
    Effective on February 1, 1994, you are directed to amend the 
restraint period for Category 447 to begin on March 1, 1993 and 
extend through December 31, 1993 at a level of 10,000 dozen\1\.
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    \1\The limit has not been adjusted to account for any imports 
exported after February 28, 1993.
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    Under the terms of section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, 
as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), and the Arrangement Regarding 
International Trade in Textiles done at Geneva on December 20, 1973, 
as further extended on December 9, 1993; pursuant to the Memorandum 
of Understanding (MOU) dated December 23, 1993, between the 
Governments of the United States and Costa Rica; and in accordance 
with the provisions of Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as 
amended, you are directed to prohibit, effective on February 1, 
1994, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal 
from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-made fiber 
textile products in the following categories, produced or 
manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the twelve-month 
period beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through December 
31, 1994, in excess of the following restraint limits:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Category                       Twelve-month limita        
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340/640............................  769,479 dozen.                     
342/642............................  284,058 dozen.                     
347/348............................  1,296,741 dozen.                   
443................................  204,020 numbers.                   
447................................  11,000 dozen.                      
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aThe limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported  
  after December 31, 1993.                                              

    Imports charged to these category limits for the periods January 
1, 1993 through December 31, 1993 and March 1, 1993 through December 
31, 1993 (Category 447) shall be charged against those levels of 
restraint to the extent of any unfilled balances. In the event the 
limits established for those periods have been exhausted by previous 
entries, such goods shall be subject to the levels set forth in this 
directive.
    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment in the 
future pursuant to the provisions of the MOU dated December 23, 1993 
between the Governments of the United States and Costa Rica.
    Also effective on February 1, 1994, you are directed to amend 
further the directive dated May 15, 1990 to require a visa for 
textile products in Category 447, produced or manufactured in Costa 
Rica and exported from Costa Rica on and after February 1, 1994.
    Additionally, pursuant to the December 23, 1993 MOU; 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) and 54 FR 50425 
(December 6, 1989), effective on February 1, 1994, guaranteed access 
levels have been established for properly certified cotton, wool and 
man-made fiber textile products in the following categories which 
are assembled in Costa Rica from fabric formed and cut in the United 
States and re-exported to the United States from Costa Rica during 
the periods beginning on January 1, 1994 and extending through 
December 31, 1994:

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              Category                     Guaranteed access level      
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340/640............................  650,000 dozen.                     
342/642............................  250,000 dozen.                     
347/348............................  1,500,000 dozen.                   
443................................  200,000 numbers.                   
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    Effective on February 1, 1994, a guaranteed access level of 
4,000 dozen is being established for Category 447 for the period 
beginning on February 1, 1994 and extending through December 31, 
1994. Beginning on February 1, 1994, the U.S. Customs Service is 
directed to start signing the first section of form ITA-370P for 
shipments of U.S. formed and cut parts in Category 447 that are 
destined for Costa Rica and re-exported to the United States on and 
after February 1, 1994.
    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 May 15, 1990, shall be 
denied entry unless the Government of Costa Rica authorizes the 
entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limit. 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 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Ronald I. Levin,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 94-1863 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F