[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10318-10319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5915]



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


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. 931090-4048]
RIN 0625-AA46


Allocation of Duty-Exemptions for Calendar Year 1996 Among Watch 
Producers Located in the Virgin Islands

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce; and Office of the Secretary, Department of the 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This action allocates 1996 duty-exemptions for watch producers 
located in the Virgin Islands pursuant to Pub. L. 97-446 as amended by 
Pub. L. 103-465.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Faye Robinson, (202) 482-1660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Pub. L. 97-446 as amended by 
Pub. L. 103-465, the Departments of the Interior and Commerce (the 
Departments) share responsibility for the allocation of duty exemptions 
among watch assembly firms in the United States insular possessions and 
the Northern Mariana Islands. In accordance with Section 303.3(a) of 
the regulations (15 CFR Part 303), this action establishes the total 
quantity of duty-free insular watches and watch movements for 1996 at 
5,100,000 units and divides this amount among the three insular 
possessions of the United States and the Northern Mariana Islands. Of 
this amount, 3,600,000 units may be allocated to Virgin Islands 
producers, 500,000 to Guam producers, 500,000 to American Samoa 
producers and 500,000 to Northern Mariana Islands producers (59 F.R. 
8847).
    The criteria for the calculation of the 1996 duty-exemption 
allocations among

[[Page 10319]]
insular producers are set forth in Section 303.14 of the regulations.
    The Departments have verified the data submitted on application 
form ITA-334P by producers presently located in the Virgin Islands and 
inspected the current operations of all producers in accordance with 
Section 303.5 of the regulations.
    In calendar year 1995 the Virgin Islands watch assembly firms 
shipped 1,760,923 watches and watch movements into the customs 
territory of the United States under Pub. L. 97-446 as amended by Pub. 
L. 103-465. The dollar amount of creditable corporate income taxes paid 
by Virgin Islands producers during calendar year 1995 plus the 
creditable wages paid by the industry during calendar year 1995 to 
residents of the territory totalled $5,164,107. These data include 
unverified data provided by a producer which closed operations in 1995.
    There are no producers in Guam, American Samoa or the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
    The calendar year 1996 Virgin Islands annual allocations set forth 
below are based on the data verified by the Departments in the Virgin 
Islands. The allocations reflect adjustments made in data supplied on 
the producers' annual application forms (ITA-334P) as a result of the 
Departments' verification.
    The duty-exemption allocations for calendar year 1996 in the Virgin 
Islands are as follows:

Name of Firm/Annual Allocation

Belair Quartz, Inc.--500,000
Hampden Watch Co., Inc.--250,000
Progress Watch Co., Inc.--500,000
Unitime Industries, Inc.--500,000
Tropex, Inc.--400,000
Susan G. Esserman,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
Allen Stayman,
Director, Office of Insular Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-5915 Filed 3-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS; 4310-93-P