[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 164 (Thursday, August 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43396-43397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21398]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcing Settlement on Import Limits and Guaranteed Access 
Levels and Adjusting an Import Limit for Certain Cotton and Man-Made 
Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in El Salvador

August 16, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
restraint period and limit, adjusting limit and announcing signing of 
ITA-370P form.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: August 23, 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); Uruguay Round Agreements Act.

    In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated July 18, 1996, the 
Governments of the United States and El Salvador agreed, pursuant to 
the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC), to 
establish limits for Categories 342/642 for a three-year term--March 
29, 1996 through December 31, 1996; January 1, 1997 through December 
31, 1997; January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998; and January 1, 
1999 through March 28, 1999. The two governments also agreed to 
establish Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for Categories 342/642 for 
the periods January 1, 1997 through December 31, 1997; January 1, 1998 
through December 31, 1998; and January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999.
    In a separate MOU dated July 18, 1996, the two governments agreed 
to increase the base level for Categories 352/652 for the period 
January 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996.
    Beginning on August 23, 1996, the U.S. Customs Service will start 
signing the first section of the form ITA-370P for shipments of U.S. 
formed and cut parts in Categories 342/642 that are destined for El 
Salvador and subject to the GAL established for Categories 342/642 for 
the period beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending through December 
31, 1997. These products are governed by Harmonized Tariff item number 
9802.00.80.8015 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 Categories 342/
642 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 El 
Salvador 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 amend the restraint period for Categories 
342/642

[[Page 43397]]

to end on December 31, 1996 at an increased level and to increase the 
1996 limit for Categories 352/652. In addition, U.S. Customs Service is 
being directed to start signing the ITA-370P form for shipments of U.S. 
formed and cut parts in Categories 342/642 that are destined for El 
Salvador and re-exported to the United States on and after January 1, 
1997.
    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). Also see 
60 FR 65296, published on December 19, 1995; 61 FR 34492, published on 
July 2, 1996.

    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; 54 FR 50425, 
published on December 6, 1989; and 60 FR 2740, published on January 11, 
1995.
    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 Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing, 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
August 16, 1996.

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

    Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel, 
the directives issued to you on December 13, 1995 and June 26, 1996, 
by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements. Those directives concern imports of certain cotton and 
man-made fiber textile products, produced or manufactured in El 
Salvador and exported during the periods January 1, 1996 through 
December 31, 1996, in the case of Categories 352/652; and March 29, 
1996 through March 28, 1997, in the case of Categories 342/642.
    Effective on August 23, 1996, you are directed to amend the 
restraint period for Categories 342/642 to end on December 31, 1996 
and increase the limit for Categories 352/652, as provided for under 
Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) dated July 18, 1996 between the 
Governments of the United States and El Salvador, the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and 
Clothing (ATC), as follows:

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                 Category                        Adjusted limit \1\     
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342/642...................................  500,000 dozen.              
352/652...................................  8,103,774 dozen.            
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\1\ The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports        
  exported after March 28, 1995 (Categories 342/642) and December 31,   
  1995 (Categories 352/652).                                            

    Beginning on August 23, 1996, 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 Categories 342/642 that 
are destined for El Salvador and re-exported to the United States on 
and after January 1, 1997.
    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,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 96-21398 Filed 8-21-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F