[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 126 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33793-33794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16256]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Verification of Country of Origin for Textiles and Textile 
Products Subject to Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
Amended

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs authorizing 
the denial of entry of shipments of textiles and textile products if a 
country refuses to permit U.S. Customs Service on-site verification of 
production in order to obtain the best information available to 
determine country of origin.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: June 24, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian F. Fennessy, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

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).

    Pursuant to the authority in section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 
1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), as delegated in Executive Order 11651 
of March 3, 1972, as amended, the U.S. Customs Service is authorized to 
deny entry of certain textiles and textile products subject to section 
204 of the Act if a country declared to be the country of origin for 
the subject merchandise does not permit the U.S. Customs Service to 
conduct an on-site verification of production.
    Under Title 19, section 12.130 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 
U.S. Customs is required to make a country of origin determination for 
textiles and textile products. Such determination may be made on the 
basis of information provided by the importer or, at the discretion of 
the Commissioner, on the basis of the best information available. In 
order to develop such information, it may be necessary for Customs to 
conduct an on-site verification of production in the country declared 
to be the country of origin.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA authorizes the 
Commissioner of Customs to deny entry of certain textiles and textile 
products subject to section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended, if Customs on-site verification of production is not 
permitted.
    In carrying out this authority, the U.S. Customs Service will act 
in accordance with applicable textile agreements and with the 
provisions of 19 C.F.R. section 12.130(g).
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

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

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

[[Page 33794]]

    Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to authority under section 204 of 
the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), as 
delegated in Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you 
are authorized, consistent with applicable textile agreements and 
the provisions of 19 C.F.R. section 12.130(g), to deny entry of 
certain textiles and textile products when the country declared to 
be the country of origin for such articles has not permitted the 
U.S. Customs Service to conduct an on-site verification of 
production in order to obtain the best information available on 
which to determine the country of origin of such articles. Such 
denial of entry shall be limited to those articles with respect to 
which such verification was deemed necessary.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that this action falls within the foreign affairs 
exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 96-16256 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F