[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3445]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 15, 1994]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

 

Establishment of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton and 
Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Myanmar

February 8, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: February 16, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, 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).

    Under the terms of Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended, the Government of the United States has decided to establish 
restraint limits for cotton and man-made fiber skirts in Categories 
342/642 and cotton and man-made fiber nightwear and pajamas in 
Categories 351/651, produced or manufactured in Myanmar and exported 
during the twelve-month period which began on February 1, 1994 and 
extends through January 31, 1995 at levels of 25,383 dozen (Categories 
342/642) and 39,893 dozen (Categories 351/651).
    Summary market statements concerning Categories 342/642 and 351/651 
follow this notice.
    Anyone wishing to comment or provide data or information regarding 
the treatment of Categories 342/642 and 351/651 or to comment on 
domestic production or availability of products included in Categories 
342/642 and 351/651, is invited to submit 10 copies of such comments or 
information to Rita D. Hayes, Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; ATTN: Helen L. LeGrande.
    Further comments may be invited regarding particular comments or 
information received from the public which the Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements considers appropriate for further 
consideration.
    The solicitation of comments is not a waiver in any respect of the 
exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) relating to matters which 
constitute ``a foreign affairs function of the United States.''
    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).
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Market Statement--Myanmar
Category 342/642 Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Skirts
January 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of cotton and man-made fiber skirts, Category 342/642, 
from Myanmar reached 25,383 dozen during the year ending October 1993, 
nearly twelve times the 2,150 dozen imported from Myanmar in the year 
ending October 1992. In the first ten months of 1993, imports of 
Category 342/642 from Myanmar reached 25,048 dozen, over eleven and one 
half times the January-October 1992 level, and ten times Myanmar's 
total calendar year 1992 Category 342/642 imports.
    The sharp and substantial increase of Category 342/642 imports from 
Myanmar is causing disruption in the U.S. market for cotton and man-
made fiber skirts.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of cotton and man-made fiber skirts fell from 7,444 
thousand dozen in 1989 to 7,181 thousand dozen in 1992, a decrease of 4 
percent. This decline continued in 1993, with U.S. production falling 
to 3,555 thousand dozen in the first half of 1993, a decline of 8 
percent from the January-June 1992 level. In contrast, U.S. imports of 
Category 342/642 increased from 6,396 thousand dozen in 1989 to 6,884 
thousand dozen in 1992, an 8 percent increase. Category 342/642 imports 
continued to increase in 1993, reaching 6,341 thousand dozen during the 
first ten months of 1993, 8 percent above the January-October 1992 
level.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production increased from 86 
percent in 1989 to 96 percent in 1992. The ratio of imports to domestic 
production continued to increase in 1993, reaching 118 percent in the 
first half of 1993. The domestic manufacturers' share of the cotton and 
man-made fiber skirt market dropped from 54 percent in 1989 to 51 
percent in 1992, and declined to 46 percent in the first half of 1993.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 90 percent of Category 342/642 imports from Myanmar 
during the year ending in October 1993 entered the U.S. under HTSUSA 
6204.52.2030--Women's cotton skirts of blue denim; and HTSUSA 
6204.52.2070--Women's cotton skirts of other than corduroy and blue 
denim. These skirts entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values below 
U.S. producers' prices for comparable skirts.

Market Statement--Myanmar
Category 351/651 Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Pajamas and Other Nightwear
January 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of cotton and man-made fiber pajamas and other 
nightwear, Category 351/651, from Myanmar reached 39,893 dozen during 
the year ending October 1993. There were no Category 351/651 imports 
from Myanmar in 1992 or 1991.
    The sharp and substantial increase of Category 351/651 imports from 
Myanmar is causing disruption in the U.S. market for cotton and man-
made fiber pajamas and other nightwear.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share
    U.S. production of cotton and man-made fiber pajamas and other 
nightwear fell from 14,235 thousand dozen in 1989 to 10,649 thousand 
dozen in 1992, a decline of 25 percent. Production continued to decline 
in 1993, falling to 4,734 thousand dozen during the first six months of 
1993, 11 percent below the January-June 1992 level. In contrast, U.S. 
imports of Category 351/651 increased from 7,289 thousand dozen in 1989 
to 9,347 thousand dozen in 1992, an increase of 28 percent. This 
increase continued during 1993, as imports of Category 351/651 reached 
9,313 thousand dozen in the first ten months of 1993, 16 percent above 
the January-October 1992 level.The ratio of imports to domestic 
production increased from 51 percent in 1989 to 88 percent in 1992. 
This increase continued in the first six months of 1993, as the ratio 
of imports to production reached 97 percent. The domestic 
manufacturers' share of this market declined from 66 percent in 1989 to 
53 percent in 1992, and fell to 51 percent during the first half of 
1993.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 79 percent of Category 351/651 imports from Myanmar 
during the year ending in october 1993 entered the U.S. under HTSUSA 
6207.21.0030--Men's cotton nightshirts and pajamas with one color in 
the warp and/or filling. This nightwear entered the U.S. at landed 
duty-paid values below U.S. producers' prices for comparable nightwear.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
February 8, 1994.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

    Dear Commissioner: Under the terms of section 204 of the 
Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); and in 
accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 
1972, as amended, you are directed to prohibit, effective on 
February 16, 1994, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton and man-made 
fiber textile products in the following categories, produced or 
manufactured in Myanmar and exported during the period beginning on 
February 1, 1994 and extending through January 31, 1995, in excess 
of the following restraint levels:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Category                      Twelve-month limit\1\       
------------------------------------------------------------------------
342/642............................  25,383 dozen.                      
351/651............................  39,893 dozen.                      
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\1\The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported
  after January 31, 1994.                                               

    Textile products in Categories 342/642 and 351/651 which have 
been exported to the United States prior to February 1, 1994 shall 
not be subject to the limits established in this directive.
    Textile products in Categories 342/642 and 351/651 which have 
been released from the custody of the U.S. Customs Service under the 
provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1448(b) or 1484(a)(1) prior to the effective 
date of this directive shall not be denied entry under this 
directive.
    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,
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 94-3445 Filed 2-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F