[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63528-63529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31434]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Man-
Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textile Products 
Produced or Manufactured in the United Arab Emirates

November 25, 1997.
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: January 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as 
amended.

    The import restraint limits for textile products, produced or 
manufactured in the United Arab Emirates and exported during the period 
January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998 are based on limits notified 
to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement 
on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    Pursuant to the provisions of the ATC, the second stage of the 
integration commences on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, published on 
May 1, 1995). Accordingly, certain previously restrained categories may 
have been modified or eliminated and certain limits may have been 
revised. Integrated products will no longer be subject to quota. CITA 
has informed the United Arab Emirates of its intent to continue the 
bilateral visa arrangement for those products.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits for the 1998 period. The 
1998 levels for Categories 315 and 361 are zero.
    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 notices 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 1996). Also see 
62 FR 51832, published on October 3, 1997. Information regarding the 
1998 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later 
date.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 25, 1997.

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); Executive Order 11651 of 
March 3, 1972, as amended; and the Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective 
on January 1, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, man-made fiber, 
silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products 
in the following categories, produced or manufactured in the United 
Arab Emirates and exported during the twelve-month period beginning 
on January 1, 1998 and extending through December 31, 1998 in excess 
of the following levels of restraint:

                                                                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
219.......................................  1,246,672 square meters.    
226/313...................................  2,131,840 square meters.    
315.......................................  -0-.                        
317.......................................  34,390,917 square meters.   
326.......................................  2,012,461 square meters.    
334/634...................................  254,068 dozen.              
335/635/835...............................  174,413 dozen.              
336/636...................................  220,192 dozen.              
338/339...................................  628,396 dozen of which not  
                                             more than 418,930 dozen    
                                             shall be in Categories 338-
                                             S/339-S \1\.               
340/640...................................  389,572 dozen.              
341/641...................................  341,130 dozen.              
342/642...................................  271,008 dozen.              
347/348...................................  466,809 dozen of which not  
                                             more than 233,404 dozen    
                                             shall be in Categories 347-
                                             T/348-T \2\.               
351/651...................................  194,786 dozen.              
352.......................................  359,084 dozen.              
361.......................................  -0-.                        
363.......................................  6,708,201 numbers.          
369-S \3\.................................  93,379 kilograms.           
369-O \4\.................................  662,361 kilograms.          
638/639...................................  254,068 dozen.              
647/648...................................  364,165 dozen.              

[[Page 63529]]

                                                                        
847.......................................  228,662 dozen.              
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 338-S: only HTS numbers 6103.22.0050, 6105.10.0010,        
  6105.10.0030, 6105.90.8010, 6109.10.0027, 6110.20.1025, 6110.20.2040, 
  6110.20.2065, 6110.90.9068, 6112.11.0030 and 6114.20.0005; Category   
  339-S: only HTS numbers 6104.22.0060, 6104.29.2049, 6106.10.0010,     
  6106.10.0030, 6106.90.2510, 6106.90.3010, 6109.10.0070, 6110.20.1030, 
  6110.20.2045, 6110.20.2075, 6110.90.9070, 6112.11.0040, 6114.20.0010  
  and 6117.90.9020.                                                     
\2\ Category 347-T: only HTS numbers 6103.19.2015, 6103.19.9020,        
  6103.22.0030, 6103.42.1020, 6103.42.1040, 6103.49.8010, 6112.11.0050, 
  6113.00.9038, 6203.19.1020, 6203.19.9020, 6203.22.3020, 6203.42.4005, 
  6203.42.4010, 6203.42.4015, 6203.42.4025, 6203.42.4035, 6203.42.4045, 
  6203.49.8020, 6210.40.9033, 6211.20.1520, 6211.20.3810 and            
  6211.32.0040; Category 348-T: only HTS numbers 6104.12.0030,          
  6104.19.8030, 6104.22.0040, 6104.29.2034, 6104.62.2006, 6104.62.2011, 
  6104.62.2026, 6104.62.2028, 6104.69.8022, 6112.11.0060, 6113.00.9042, 
  6117.90.9060, 6204.12.0030, 6204.19.8030, 6204.22.3040, 6204.29.4034, 
  6204.62.3000, 6204.62.4005, 6204.62.4010, 6204.62.4020, 6204.62.4030, 
  6204.62.4040, 6204.62.4050, 6204.69.6010, 6304.69.9010. 6210.50.9060, 
  6211.20.1550, 6211.20.6810, 6211.42.0030 and 6217.90.9050.            
\3\ Category 369-S: only HTS number 6307.10.2005.                       
\4\ Category 369-O: all HTS numbers except 6307.10.2005 (Category 369-  
  S); 5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090, 5701.90.1020, 5701.90.2020,           
  5702.10.9020, 5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020, 5702.49.1080, 5702.59.1000, 
  5702.99.1010, 5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020 and 6406.10.7700.            

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified 
to the Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Products in the above categories exported during 1997 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated December 20, 1996) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the limits established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the limits set forth in this directive.
    Products for integration in 1998 listed in the Federal Register 
notice published on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21075) which are exported 
during 1997 shall be charged to the applicable limits to the extent 
of any unfilled balances. After January 1, 1998, should those 
unfilled balances be exhausted, such products shall no longer be 
charged to any limit, due to integration of these products into GATT 
1994.
    CITA has informed the United Arab Emirates of its intent to 
continue the bilateral visa arrangement for those products. An 
export visa will continue to be required, if applicable, for 
products integrated on and after January 1, 1998, before entry is 
permitted 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 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 97-31434 Filed 11-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F