[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 67836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33912]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Levels for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made 
Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the United Mexican 
States

December 22, 1997.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
levels under the North America Free Trade Agreement.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, 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.

    In order to implement Annex 300-B of the North America Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA), restrictions and consultation levels for certain 
cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products from Mexico are being 
established for the period beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending 
through December 31, 1998.
    These restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to NAFTA 
originating goods, as defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 
of the agreement. In addition, restrictions and consultation levels do 
not apply to textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico 
from fabrics wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported 
from and re-imported into the United States under U.S. tariff item 
9802.00.90.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to implement levels for the 1998 period.
    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 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997).
J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 22, 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 North America Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA), between the Governments of the United States, the 
United Mexican States and Canada, 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, 
wool and man-made fiber textile products in the following 
categories, produced or manufactured in Mexico and exported during 
the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending 
through December 31, 1998, in excess of the following levels:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                        Twelve-month limit     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
219.......................................  9,438,000 square meters.    
313.......................................  16,854,000 square meters.   
314.......................................  6,966,904 square meters.    
315.......................................  6,966,904 square meters.    
317.......................................  8,427,000 square meters.    
338/339/638/639...........................  650,000 dozen.              
340/640...................................  160,200 dozen.              
347/348/647/648...........................  650,000 dozen.              
410.......................................  397,160 square meters.      
433.......................................  11,000 dozen.               
443.......................................  175,479 numbers.            
611.......................................  1,267,710 square meters.    
633.......................................  10,000 dozen.               
643.......................................  155,556 numbers.            
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    The levels set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of Annex 300-B of the NAFTA.
    Products in the above categories exported during 1997 shall be 
charged to the applicable category levels for that year (see 
directive dated October 17, 1996) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the levels established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the levels set forth in this directive.
    The foregoing levels do not apply to NAFTA originating goods, as 
defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 of the agreement. In 
addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to 
textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from fabrics 
wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from and re-
imported into the United States under U.S. tariff item 9802.00.90.
    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,
J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 97-33912 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F