[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14931-14932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6857]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access
Levels and Amendment of Visa Requirements for Certain Cotton, Wool and
Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Guatemala
March 15, 1995.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing
import limits and guaranteed access levels and amending visa
requirements.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: March 23, 1995.
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).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated March 3, 1995 between the
Governments of the United States and Guatemala, among other things,
establishes specific limits and guaranteed access levels (GALs) for
certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products for the period
beginning on January 1, 1995 and extending through December 31, 1995.
The specific limits may be subject to revision pursuant to the
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) on the date that
Guatemala becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.
Beginning on March 23, 1995, the U.S. Customs Service will start
signing the first section of form ITA-370P for shipments of U.S. formed
and cut parts in Category 443 that are destined for Guatemala and
subject to the GAL established for Category 443 for the period
beginning on January 1, 1995 and extending through December 31, 1995.
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 443
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
Guatemala in order to qualify for entry under the Special Access
Program.
In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and GALs for certain
categories for 1995 and to begin signing the first section of form ITA-
370P for Category 443. Textile products in Category 443, produced or
manufactured in Guatemala and exported from Guatemala on and after
March 23, 1995 shall require a visa.
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 59 FR 65531, published on December 20, 1994). Also see
59 FR 66522, published on December 27, 1994.
Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are
available in Federal Register notice 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 3079, published on January 30, 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.
Rita D. Hayes,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
March 15, 1995.
Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.
Dear Commissioner: Effective on March 23, 1995, you are directed
to cancel the counting letter issued to you on December 14, 1994 by
the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
which directed you to count imports of wool textile
[[Page 14932]] products in Category 443 for the period beginning on
November 21, 1994 and extending through November 20, 1995.
Under the terms of section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956,
as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
dated March 3, 1995 between the Governments of the United States and
Guatemala; and in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order
11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you are directed to prohibit,
effective on March 23, 1995, 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 Guatemala and exported
during the period beginning on January 1, 1995 and extending through
December 31, 1995, in excess of the following restraint limits:
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Category Twelve-month limit\1\
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340/640............................ 1,080,379 dozen.
347/348............................ 1,293,629 dozen.
351/651............................ 227,900 dozen.
443................................ 68,344 numbers.
448................................ 42,821 dozen.
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\1\The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported
after December 31, 1994.
Imports charged to these category limits, except Category 443,
for the period January 1, 1994 through December 31, 1994 shall be
charged against those levels of restraint to the extent of any
unfilled balances. In the event the limits established for that
period have been exhausted by previous entries, such goods shall be
subject to the levels set forth in this directive.
Should Guatemala become a member of the World Trade Organization
(WTO), the limits set forth above will be subject to adjustment in
the future pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and
Clothing and any administrative arrangements notified to the
Textiles Monitoring Body.
For visa purposes, you are directed, effective on March 23,
1995, to amend further the directive dated January 24, 1990 to
require a visa for textile products in Category 443, produced or
manufactured in Guatemala and exported from Guatemala on and after
March 23, 1995. Goods in Category 443 which are exported during the
period March 23, 1995 through April 22, 1995 shall not be denied
entry for the lack of a visa. Goods in Category 443 which are
exported after April 22, 1995 must be accompanied by an appropriate
export visa.
Beginning on March 23, 1995, the U.S. Customs Service is
directed to start signing the first section of the form ITA-370P for
shipments of U.S. formed and cut parts in Category 443 that are
destined for Guatemala and re-exported to the United States on and
after March 23, 1995.
Additionally, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding dated
March 3, 1995 between the Governments of the United States and
Guatemala; and 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 March 23, 1995, guaranteed
access levels are being established for properly certified textile
products assembled in Guatemala from fabric formed and cut in the
United States in the following categories which are re-exported to
the United States from Guatemala during the period January 1, 1995
through December 31, 1995:
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Category Guaranteed access level
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340/640............................ 520,000 dozen.
347/348............................ 1,000,000 dozen.
351/651............................ 200,000 dozen.
443................................ 25,000 numbers.
448................................ 42,000 dozen.
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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 January 24, 1990, as
amended, shall be denied entry unless the Government of Guatemala
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.
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,
Rita D. Hayes,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 95-6857 Filed 3-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F