[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 219 (Tuesday, November 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 58038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28852]



[[Page 58038]]

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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Limits and Special Access Levels for 
Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or 
Manufactured in Colombia

November 4, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits and Special Access Levels.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1997.

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.

    The import restraint limits for textile products, produced or 
manufactured in Colombia and exported during the period January 1, 1997 
through December 31, 1997 are based on limits notified to the Textiles 
Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the 
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC). The Special 
Access Levels are being established pursuant to Memoranda of 
Understanding (MOUs) dated June 27, 1995 and August 9, 1995 between the 
Governments of the United States and Colombia.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1997 limits and Special Access 
Levels. Sublimits are established for products which are not subject to 
the terms of the Special Access Textile Program.
    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.
    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; 60 FR 63512, published on December 11, 
1995, and 61 FR 49439, published on September 20, 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 MOUs, the Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC, 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
November 4, 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), the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and 
Clothing (ATC); 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 Colombia and exported during 
the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending 
through December 31, 1997, in excess of the restraint limits listed 
below.
    Pursuant to Memoranda of Understanding dated June 27, 1995 and 
August 9, 1995 between the Governments of the United States and 
Colombia; and under the terms of the Special Access Textile Program, 
as set forth in 51 FR 21208 (June 11, 1986), 52 FR 26057 (July 10, 
1987), 54 FR 50425 (December 6, 1989) and 61 FR 49439 (September 20, 
1996), you are directed to establish Special Access Levels for 
properly certified textile products in the following categories 
which are assembled in Colombia from fabric formed and cut in the 
United States and re-exported in the United States from Colombia 
during the twelve-month period which begins on January 1, 1997 and 
extends through December 31, 1997.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                        Twelve-month limit      
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315....................................  21,635,594 square meters.      
352/652 (Special Access)...............  33,708,200 dozen.              
352/652 (non-Special Access sublimit)..  3,370,820 dozen.               
443....................................  125,802 numbers.               
444 (Special Access)...................  209,120 numbers.               
444 (non-Special Access sublimit)......  83,648 numbers.                
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    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 limits set forth above are subject to adjustment in the 
future according to the provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements 
Act, the ATC, and any administrative arrangement notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is 
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification and Export 
Declaration in accordance with the provisions of the certification 
requirements established in the directive of December 5, 1995, shall 
be denied entry unless the Government of Colombia authorizes the 
entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limit. Any 
shipment which is declared for entry under the Special Access 
Program but found not to qualify shall be denied entry into the 
United States.
    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 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.96-28852 Filed 11-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F