[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 252 (Tuesday, December 31, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69081-69082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-33204]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

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

December 24, 1996.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).


[[Page 69082]]


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
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 and Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for 
textile products, produced or manufactured in Costa Rica 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).
    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 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 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; 55 FR 21047, published on May 22, 1990, 
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 Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC, but are designed to 
assist only in the implementation of certain of their provisions.
Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 24, 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 Costa Rica and exported 
during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1997 and 
extending through December 31, 1997, in excess of the following 
restraint limits:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                        Twelve-month limit      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640................................  955,921 dozen.                 
342/642................................  352,884 dozen.                 
347/348................................  1,610,938 dozen.               
443....................................  211,766 numbers.               
447....................................  11,418 dozen.                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
    Also pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC; 
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) and 54 FR 
50425 (December 6, 1989), you are directed to establish guaranteed 
access levels for properly certified cotton, wool and man-made fiber 
textile products in the following categories which are assembled in 
Costa Rica from fabric formed and cut in the United States and re-
exported to the United States from Costa Rica during the period 
beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending through December 31, 
1997:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                     Guaranteed access level    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
340/640................................  650,000 dozen.                 
342/642................................  250,000 dozen.                 
347/348................................  1,500,000 dozen.               
443....................................  200,000 numbers.               
447....................................  4,000 dozen.                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 May 15, 1990 shall be 
denied entry unless the Government of Costa Rica 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,
Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc.96-33204 Filed 12-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F