[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3002-3003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1743]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels for 
Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or 
Manufactured in Costa Rica

January 24, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits and guaranteed access levels.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 31, 1996.

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 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).

    The import restraint limits for textile products, produced or 
manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the period January 1, 
1996 through December 31, 1996 are based on limits notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act 
and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC). The 
Guaranteed Access Levels are being established pursuant to a Memorandum 
of Understanding dated December 23, 1993 between the Governments of the 
United States and Costa Rica.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access 
levels for 1996.
    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 60 FR 65299, published on December 19, 1995).
    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; and 

[[Page 3003]]
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 Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC, but are designed to 
assist only in the implementation of certain of their provisions.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 24, 1996.

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), the Uruguay 
Round Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and 
Clothing (ATC); and in accordance with the provisions of Executive 
Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you are directed to 
prohibit, effective on January 31, 1996, 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, 1996 and 
extending through December 31, 1996, in excess of the following 
restraint limits:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                        Twelve-month limit      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640................................  889,229 dozen.                 
342/642................................  328,264 dozen.                 
347/348................................  1,498,547 dozen.               
443....................................  209,152 numbers.               
447....................................  11,277 dozen.                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Imports charged to these category limits for the period January 
1, 1995 through December 31, 1995 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.
    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment in the 
future according to the provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements 
Act, the ATC, and any administrative arrangement notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding dated December 23, 
1993 between the Governments of the United States and Costa Rica; 
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), you are directed to establish guaranteed 
access levels 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 period 
beginning on January 1, 1996 and extending through December 31, 
1996:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                     Guaranteed access level    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640................................  650,000 dozen.                 
342/642................................  250,000 dozen.                 
347/348................................  1,500,000 dozen.               
443....................................  200,000 numbers.               
447....................................  4,000 dozen.                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.96-1743 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F