[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 48 (Monday, March 11, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9637-9639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5683]



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[[Page 9638]]


DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 148

[T.D. 96-23]


Changes to Customs List of Designated Public International 
Organizations: INTERPOL

AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Customs Regulations by adding the 
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to Customs list 
of designated public international organizations entitled to certain 
free entry privileges provided for under provisions of the 
International Organizations Immunities Act.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 11, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Sequeira, Director, 
International Organizations & Agreements Division, Office of 
International Affairs (202) 927-1480.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The International Organizations Immunities Act, 22 U.S.C. 288, 
generally provides that certain international organizations, agencies, 
and committees, those in which the United States participates or 
otherwise has an interest and which have been designated by the 
President through appropriate Executive Order as public international 
organizations, are entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions, 
and immunities conferred by the Act. The Department of State lists the 
public international organizations, designated by the President as 
entitled to enjoy any measure of the privileges, exemptions, and 
immunities conferred by the Act, in the notes following the provisions 
of Section 288.
    One of the privileges provided for under the Act is that the 
baggage and effects of alien officers, employees, and representatives--
and their families, suites, and servants--to the designated 
organization, are admitted free of duty and without entry. The list of 
designated organizations entitled to this duty-free entry privilege are 
delineated at Sec. 148.87(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 148.87(b)). 
Thus, the list of public international organizations maintained by 
Customs is for the limited purpose of identifying those organizations 
entitled to the duty-free entry privilege; it does not necessarily 
include all of the international organizations that are on the list 
maintained by the Department of State, which delineates all of the 
international organizations designated by the President regardless of 
the extent of the privileges conferred.
    Executive Order (EO) 12425 of June 16, 1983, 48 FR 28069, 3 CFR 
part 1983 Comp.p. 193, 19 Weekly Comp.Pres.Doc. 885, designated the 
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) as a public 
international organization with limited privileges; certain privileges, 
such as duty-free customs entry and exemption from federal internal-
revenue importation taxes were not extended to INTERPOL. See T.D. 93-
45. Thus, INTERPOL was listed on the Department of State's list of 
designated international organizations, but not Customs list. By EO 
12971 of September 15, 1995, 60 FR 48617, 3 CFR part 1996 Comp.p. ____, 
31 Weekly Comp.Pres.Doc. 1572, the President amended EO 12425 in order 
to extend some of the privileges, exemptions, and immunities to 
INTERPOL withheld by EO 12425; one being the privilege of duty-free 
Customs entry. Accordingly, Customs is amending its list of designated 
public international organizations at Sec. 148.87(b) of the Customs 
Regulations (19 CFR 148.87(b)) to include INTERPOL.

Inapplicability of Public Notice and Comment Requirements, Delayed 
Effective Date Requirements, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and 
Executive Order 12866

    Because this amendment merely corrects the listing of designated 
organizations entitled by law to free entry privileges as public 
international organizations, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), good cause 
exists for dispensing with notice and public procedure thereon as 
unnecessary. For the same reason, good cause exists for dispensing with 
a delayed effective date under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1) and (3). Since this 
document is not subject to the notice and public procedure requirements 
of 5 U.S.C. 553, it is not subject to provisions of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). This document does not meet the 
criteria for a ``significant regulatory action'' as specified in E.O. 
12866.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of this document was Gregory R. Vilders, 
Attorney, Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings.

List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 148

    Customs duties and inspection, Executive orders, Foreign officials, 
Government employees, International organizations, Privileges and 
immunities, Taxes.

Amendment to the Regulations

    For the reasons stated above, part 148, Customs Regulations (19 CFR 
part 148), is amended as set forth below:

PART 148--PERSONAL DECLARATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS

    1. The general authority citation for part 148 and the specific 
authority citation for Sec. 148.87 continue to read as follows:

    Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1496, 1498, 1624. The provisions of 
this part, except for subpart C, are also issued under 19 U.S.C. 
1202 (General Note 20, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States);
* * * * *
    Section 148.87 also issued under 22 U.S.C. 288.
* * * * *
    2. Section 148.87(b) is amended by adding the following, in 
appropriate alphabetical order, to the table, to read as follows:


Sec. 148.87  Officers and employees of, and representatives to, public 
international organizations.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *

                                                                        
                                             Executive                  
               Organization                    order          Date      
                                                                        
                                                                        
*                  *                  *                  *              
                  *                  *                  *               
International Criminal Police Organization                              
 (INTERPOL)--Limited privileges...........       12425    June 16, 1983.
                                                 12971    Sep. 15, 1995.
                                                                        
*                  *                  *                  *              
                  *                  *                  *               
                                                                        


[[Page 9639]]

George J. Weise,
Commissioner of Customs.
    Approved: February 11, 1996.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 96-5683 Filed 3-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P