[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 48889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: X96-10917]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of Import Limits for Certain Wool Textile Products 
Produced or Manufactured in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

September 11, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, 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).

    In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated August 1, 1996, 
effected by exchange of notes dated August 6, 1996, the Governments of 
the United States and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia agree 
to establish limits for wool textile products in Categories 433, 434, 
435, 443 and 448, produced or manufactured in the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia and exported during the period October 1, 1996 
through December 31, 2000. The terms of the agreement shall be October 
1, 1996 through December 31, 1997; January 1, 1998 through December 31, 
1998; January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999; January 1, 2000 
through December 31, 2000.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to cancel the current limit for Category 434 
and establish limits for Categories 433, 434, 435, 443 and 448 for the 
first agreement period.
    These limits may be subject to revision pursuant to the Uruguay 
Round Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and 
Clothing on the date that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 
becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.
    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 
61 FR 26165, published on May 24, 1996.
    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 MOU, but are designed to assist only in the implementation of 
certain of its provisions.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
September 11, 1996.

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

    Dear Commissioner: This directive cancels the directive issued 
to you on May 21, 1996, by the Chairman, Committee for the 
Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive concerns 
imports of wool textile prouducts in Category 434, produced or 
manufactured in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and 
exported during the twelve-month period which began on May 26, 1996 
and extends through May 25, 1997.
    Under the terms of section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, 
as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); the Memorandum of Understanding dated 
August 1, 1996, effected by exchange of notes dated August 6, 1996, 
between the Governments of the United States and the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia; and in accordance with the provisions of 
Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you are directed 
to prohibit, effective on October 1, 1996, entry into the United 
States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption 
of wool textile products in the following categories, produced or 
manufactured in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and 
exported during the period beginning on October 1, 1996 and 
extending through December 31, 1997, in excess of the following 
levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                        Fifteen-month limit    
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433.......................................  25,000 dozen.               
434.......................................  12,500 dozen.               
435.......................................  33,469 dozen.               
443.......................................  206,250 numbers.            
448.......................................  75,000 dozen.               
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    Textile products in the aforementioned categories which have 
been exported to the United States prior to October 1, 1996 shall 
not be subject to this directive.
    Textile products in the aforementioned categories which have 
been released from the custody of the U.S. Customs Service under the 
provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1448(b) or 1484(a)(1) prior to the effective 
date of this directive shall not be denied entry under this 
directive.
    Should the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia become a member 
of the World Trade Organization, the limits set forth above may be 
subject to revision pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act and 
the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing.
    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 to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[Doc.96-23688 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]
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