[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66057-66058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32896]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Extension of Temporary Amendment to the Requirements for 
Participating in the Special Access Progam for Caribbean Basin 
Countries

December 11, 1997.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs extending 
amendment of requirements for participation in the Special Access 
Program for a temporary period.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: December 23, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

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.

    A notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs published in the 
Federal Register on July 2, 1997 (62 FR 35788) announced the temporary 
amendment to the foreign origin exception for findings and trimmings 
under the Special Access Program. By date of export, the foreign origin 
exception for findings and trimmings, including elastic strips of less 
than one inch in width, under the Special Access Program was 
temporarily amended to include non-U.S. formed, U.S. cut interlinings 
for the period June 23, 1997 through December 22, 1997 for women's and 
girls' suit jackets and suit-type jackets in Categories 435, 444, 635 
and 644. This amendment is being extended for a one-year period 
beginning on December 23, 1997 and extending through December 22, 1998 
for women's and girls' suit jackets and suit-type jackets entered under 
the Special Access Program (9802.00.8015) provided they are cut in the 
United States and are of a type described below:
    (1) A chest type plate, ``hymo'' piece or ``sleeve header'' of 
woven or welf-inserted warp knit construction of

[[Page 66058]]

coarse animal hair or man-made filaments used in the manufacture of 
women's or girls' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jacksts;
    (2) A woven fabric which contains and exhibits properties of 
resiliency which render the fabric especially suitable for attachment 
by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coat-front, side body 
or back of women's or girls' tailored suit jackets and suit-type 
jackets.
    Note that the amendment is not being extended for weft-inserted 
warp knit fabric which contains and exhibits properties of elasticity 
and resilience which render the fabric especially suitable for 
attachement by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhensive to the coat-
front, side body or back of women's or girls' tailored suit jackets and 
suit-type jackets. These interlinings must be formed and cut in the 
United States.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 11, 1997.

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

    Dear Commissioner: This directive amends but does not cancel the 
directive issued to you on June 26, 1997, by the Chairman, Committee 
for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive 
concerns the foreign origin exception for findings and trimmings 
under the Special Access Program.
    Effective on December 23, 1997, by date of export, you are 
directed to extend, for the one-year period December 23, 1997 
through December 22, 1998, the amendment to treat non-U.S. formed, 
U.S.-cut interlinings, further described below, for women's and 
girls' wool and man-made fiber suit jackets and suit-type jackets in 
Categories 435, 444, 635 and 644 as qualifying for the exception for 
findings and trimmings, including elastic strips less than one inch 
in width, created under the Special Access Program established 
effective September 1, 1986 (see 51 FR 21208). In the aggregate, 
such interlinings, findings and trimmings must not exceed 25 percent 
of the cost of the components of the assembled article.
    The amendment implemented by this directive shall be of a 
temporary nature. With respect to women's and girls' suit jackets 
and suit-type jackets in Categories 435, 444, 635 and 644, the 
amendment will terminate on December 22, 1998, by date of export of 
the assembled article.
    As described above, non-U.S. formed, U.S.-cut interlinings may 
be used in imports of women's or girls' suit jackets and suit-type 
jackets entered under the Special Access Program (9802.00.8015) 
provided they are cut in the United States and of a type described 
below:
    (1) A chest plate, ``hymo'' piece or ``sleeve header'' of woven 
or weft-inserted warp knit construction of coarse animal hair or 
man-made filaments used in the manufacture of women's or girls' 
tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets;
    (2) A woven fabric which contains and exhibits properties of 
resiliency which render the fabric especially suitable for 
attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coat-
front, side body or back of women's or girls' tailored suit jackets 
and suit-type jackets.
    This amendment is not being extended for weft-inserted warp knit 
fabric which contains and exhibits properties of elasticity and 
resilience which render the fabric especially suitable for 
attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coat-
front, side body or back of women's or girls' tailored suit jackets 
and suit-type jackets. These interlinings must be formed and cut in 
the United States.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that this action falls 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. 97-32896 Filed 12-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F