[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54986-54987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27084]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Levels for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made 
Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the United Mexican 
States

October 17, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).


[[Page 54987]]


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
levels under the North America Free Trade Agreement.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1997.

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) 927-6711. 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 order to implement Annex 300-B of the North America Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA), restrictions and consultation levels for certain 
cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products from Mexico are being 
established for the period beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending 
through December 31, 1997.
    These restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to NAFTA 
originating goods, as defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 
of the agreement. In addition, restrictions and consultation levels do 
not apply to textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico 
from fabrics wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported 
from and re-imported into the United States under U.S. tariff item 
9802.00.90.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to implement levels for the 1997 period.
    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). 
Information regarding the 1997 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.
    The letter to the Commissioner of Customs and the actions taken 
pursuant to it are not designed to implement all of the provisions of 
NAFTA, 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
October 17, 1996.

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

    Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to section 204 of the Agricultural 
Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); and the North America Free 
Trade Agreement (NAFTA), between the Governments of the United 
States, the United Mexican States and Canada; and in accordance with 
the provisions of Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as 
amended, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 1997, 
entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from 
warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile 
products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in 
Mexico and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on 
January 1, 1997 and extending through December 31, 1997, in excess 
of the following levels:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                        Twelve-month limit     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
219.......................................  9,438,000 square meters.    
313.......................................  16,854,000 square meters.   
314.......................................  6,966,904 square meters.    
315.......................................  6,966,904 square meters.    
317.......................................  8,427,000 square meters.    
338/339/638/639...........................  650,000 dozen.              
340/640...................................  147,378 dozen.              
347/348/647/648...........................  650,000 dozen.              
410.......................................  397,160 square meters.      
433.......................................  11,000 dozen.               
443.......................................  168,730 numbers.            
611.......................................  1,267,710 square meters.    
633.......................................  10,000 dozen.               
643.......................................  155,556 numbers.            
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Imports charged to these category limits for the period January 
1, 1996 through December 31, 1996 shall be charged against those 
levels of restraint to the extent of any unfilled balances. In the 
event the limits established for that period have been exhausted by 
previous entries, such goods shall be subject to the levels set 
forth in this directive.
    The levels set forth above are subject to adjustment in the 
future pursuant to the provisions of Annex 300-B of the NAFTA.
    The foregoing levels do not apply to NAFTA originating goods, as 
defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 of the agreement. In 
addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to 
textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from fabrics 
wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from and re-
imported into the United States under U.S. tariff item 9802.00.90.
    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 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. 96-27084 Filed 10-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F