[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59864-59865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30049]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access 
Levels for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced 
or Manufactured in El Salvador

November 19, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
import limits and guaranteed 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 El Salvador 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 
Guaranteed Access Levels are being established pursuant to Memoranda of 
Understanding (MOUs) dated September 26, 1994 and July 6, 1995 between 
the Governments of the United States and El Salvador and July 18, 1996 
for Category 342/642.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access 
levels for 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). 
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 notice 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 2740, published on January 11, 1995, 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 Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC, but are designed to 
assist only in the implementation of certain of their provisions.
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 19, 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 and man-made fiber textile products in the following 
categories, produced or manufactured in El Salvador and exported 
during the period beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending through 
December 31, 1997, in excess of the following restraint limits:

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                 Category                        Twelve-month limit     
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340/640...................................  1,024,895 dozen.            
342/642...................................  337,500 dozen.              
352/652...................................  7,000,000 dozen.            
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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 arrangements notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Pursuant to Memoranda of Understanding dated September 26, 1994 
and July 6, 1995 between the Governments of the United States and El 
Salvador; and under the terms of the Special Access 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), 
effective on January 1, 1997, guaranteed access levels are being 
established for properly certified textile products assembled in El 
Salvador from fabric formed and cut in the United States in the 
following categories which are re-exported to the United States from 
El Salvador during the period January 1, 1997 through December 31, 
1997:

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                 Category                      Guaranteed Access Level  
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340/640...................................  1,000,000 dozen.            
342/642...................................  400,000 dozen.              
352/652...................................  30,000,000 dozen.           
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[[Page 59865]]

    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 January 6, 1995, shall 
be denied entry unless the Government of El Salvador 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.
    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,
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 96-30049 Filed 11-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F