[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3915]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
 

Request for Public Comments on Bilateral Textile Consultations 
with Egypt on Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products

February 15, 1994.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

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

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EFFECTIVE DATE: February 23, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Aldrich, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of this 
limit, 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. For information 
on categories on which consultations have been requested, call (202) 
482-3740.

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).

    On January 31, 1994, under the terms of the Bilateral Cotton and 
Man-Made Fiber Textile Agreement, effected by exchange of notes dated 
March 15, 1992 and June 9, 1992, between the Governments of the United 
States and Egypt, the United States Government requested consultations 
with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt with respect to 
cotton and man-made fiber woven shirts in Categories 340/640, produced 
or manufactured in Egypt.
    The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that, pending 
agreement on a mutually satisfactory solution concerning Categories 
340/640, the Government of the United States has decided to control 
imports during the period which began on January 31, 1994 and extends 
through December 31, 1994.
    A summary market statement concerning Categories 340/640 follows 
this notice.
    Anyone wishing to comment or provide data or information regarding 
the treatment of Categories 340/640, under the agreement with the 
Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, or to comment on domestic 
production or availability of products included in Categories 340/640, 
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. The comments received will be considered in the 
context of the consultations with the Government of the Arab Republic 
of Egypt.
    Because the exact timing of the consultations is not yet certain, 
comments should be submitted promptly. Comments or information 
submitted in response to this notice will be available for public 
inspection in the Office of Textiles and Apparel, room H3100, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC.
    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 regarding any aspect of the agreement 
or the implementation thereof 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.''
    The United States remains committed to finding a solution 
concerning Categories 340/640. Should such a solution be reached in 
consultations with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, 
further notice will be published in the Federal Register.
    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).
Rita D. Hayes,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Market Statement--Egypt
Category 340/640--Men's and Boys' Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Woven 
Shirts
January 1994
Import Situation and Conclusion
    U.S. imports of men's and boys' cotton and man-made fiber woven 
shirts, Category 340/640, from Egypt reached 424,073 dozen during the 
year ending October 1993, more than six and one half times the 62,423 
dozen imported from Egypt in the year ending October 1992. In the first 
ten months of 1993, imports of Category 340/640 from Egypt reached 
402,042 dozen, nearly seven times the January-October 1992 level and 
nearly five times Egypt's total calendar year 1992 Category 340/640 
imports.
    The sharp and substantial increase of Category 340/640 imports from 
Egypt is causing a real risk of disruption in the U.S. market for men's 
and boys' cotton and man-made fiber woven shirts.
U.S. Production, Import Penetration and Market Share
    U.S. production of men's and boys' cotton and man-made fiber woven 
shirts fell from 16,956,000 dozen in 1989 to 12,850,000 dozen in 1992, 
a decline of 24 percent. This decline continued in 1993, with U.S. 
production falling to 6,320,000 dozen in the first half of 1993, 3 
percent below the January-June 1992 level. In contrast, U.S. imports of 
Category 340/640 increased from 26,637,000 dozen in 1989 to 30,395,000 
dozen in 1992, a 14 percent increase. Category 340/640 imports 
continued to increase in 1993, reaching 27,275,000 dozen during the 
first ten months of 1993, five percent above the January-October 1992 
level.
    The ratio of imports to domestic production increased from 157 
percent in 1989 to 236 percent in 1992. This trend continued in 1993, 
with the ratio of imports to domestic production reaching 238 percent 
during January-June 1993. The domestic manufacturers' share of this 
market fell from 39 percent in 1989 to 30 percent during the first half 
of 1993, a decline of 9 percentage points.
Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price
    Approximately 77 percent of Category 340/640 imports from Egypt 
during the year ending in October 1993 entered the U.S. under HTSUSA 
6205.20.2046--men's and boys' yarn dyed, napped woven cotton shirts, 
other than dress and corduroy; HTSUSA 6205.20.2065--men's woven cotton 
shirts, other than dress and corduroy, with one color in the warp and/
or the filling; and HTSUSA 6205.20.2075--boys' woven cotton shirts, 
other than dress and corduroy, with one color in the warp and/or the 
filling, other than imported as a part of a playsuit. These shirts 
entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values below U.S. producers' 
prices for comparable men's and boys' woven shirts.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
February 15, 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 the 
Arrangement Regarding International Trade in Textiles done at Geneva 
on December 20, 1973, as further extended on December 9, 1993; 
pursuant to the Bilateral Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile 
Agreement, effected by exchange of notes dated March 15, 1992 and 
June 9, 1992, between the Governments of the United States and the 
Arab Republic of Egypt; and in accordance with the provisions of 
Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you are directed 
to prohibit, effective on February 23, 1994, entry into the United 
States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption 
of cotton and man-made fiber textile products in Categories 340/640, 
produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported during the period 
beginning on January 31, 1994 and extending through December 31, 
1994, in excess of 467,062 dozen.\1\
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    \1\The limit has not been adjusted to account for any imports 
exported after January 30, 1994.
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    Textile products in Categories 340/640 which have been exported 
to the United States prior to January 31, 1994 shall not be subject 
to the limit established in this directive.
    Textile products in Categories 340/640 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.
    Import charges will be provided at a later date.
    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 this action falls within the foreign affairs 
exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Rita D. Hayes,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 94-3915 Filed 2-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F