[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6160-6161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3109]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Quota, Visa and ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information 
System) Requirements for Discharge Printed Fabric Produced or 
Manufactured in Indonesia

January 23, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
quota, visa and ELVIS requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 29, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212.

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 exchange of notes dated December 10, 1997 and January 9, 1998, 
the Governments of the United States and Indonesia agreed that 
discharge printed fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) 
numbers 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 
5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 
(Category 317), 5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 
326) which is produced or manufactured in Indonesia and imported on or 
after January 1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa and ELVIS 
(Electronic Visa Information System) requirements and will not be 
subject to 1998 limits. The new designation for Categories 313, 314, 
315, 317 and 326 will be part-category 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 
326-O, respectively. The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 
313, 314, 315 and 317/617/326 remain the same for the newly established 
part-categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O and 317-O/617/326-O.
    Also effective on January 29, 1998, products in Categories 313, 
314, 315, 317 and 326 (except discharge printed fabric), produced or 
manufactured in Indonesia and exported from Indonesia on or after 
January 1, 1998 must be accompanied by a 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 
326-O part-category visa and ELVIS transmission. Products in Category 
617 shall continue to require a 617 visa and ELVIS transmission. 
Products currently visaed as 317/617/326 which are exported from 
Indonesia on or after January 1, 1998 must be accompanied by either a 
317-O/617/326-O merged category visa and ELVIS transmission, or the 
correct category visa and ELVIS transmission (317-O, 326-O or 617) 
corresponding to the actual shipment. There will be a grace period from 
January 1, 1998 through February 14, 1998 during which products 
exported from Indonesia in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be 
accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa and ELVIS 
transmission. During the grace period, products visaed in merged 
Categories 317/617/326 may be accompanied by a 317-O/617/326-O merged 
category visa and ELVIS transmission, a 317/617/326 merged whole 
category visa and ELVIS transmission or the correct category visa and 
ELVIS transmision (317, 326, 617, 317-O or 326-O) corresponding to the 
actual shipment. A visa and ELVIS transmission will not be required for 
discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 
imported on or after January 1, 1998, regardless of the date of export.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to amend the export quota, visa and ELVIS 
requirements.
    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). Also see 
52 FR 20134, published in May 29, 1987; 62 FR 37202, published on July

[[Page 6161]]

11, 1997; and 62 FR 67625, published on December 29, 1997.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 23, 1998.

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 December 19, 1997, by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That 
directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber, 
silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products, 
produced or manufactured in Indonesia and exported during the 
twelve-month period which begins on January 1, 1998 and extending 
through December 31, 1998.
    Effective on January 29, 1998, discharge printed fabric 
classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 
5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 
314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 
5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is 
produced or manufactured in Indonesia and imported on or after 
January 1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa and ELVIS 
(Electronic Visa Information System) requirements and will not be 
subject to 1998 limits, pursuant to exchange of notes dated December 
10, 1997 and January 9, 1998. The new designation for Categories 
313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 will be part-category 313-O \1\, 314-O 
\2\, 315-O \3\, 317-O \4\, 326-O \5\, respectively.
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    \1\ Category 313-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.3035, 
5208.52.4035 and 5209.51.6032.
    \2\ Category 314-O: all HTS numbers except 5209.51.6015.
    \3\ Category 315-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.4055.
    \4\ Category 317-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2085.
    \5\ Category 326-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2015, 
5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015.
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    The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315 
and 317/617/326 remain the same for the newly established part-
Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O and 317-O/617/326-O.
    Also effective on January 29, 1998, you are directed to amend 
further the directive dated May 19, 1987 to require a part-category 
visa and ELVIS transmission for Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-
O and 326-O, produced or manufactured in Indonesia and exported on 
or after January 1, 1998. Products in Category 617 shall continue to 
require a 617 visa and ELVIS transmission. Products currently visaed 
as merged Categories 317/617/326 which are exported from Indonesia 
on or after January 1, 1998 must be accompanied by either a 317-O/
617/326-O merged category visa and ELVIS transmission or the correct 
category visa and ELVIS transmission (317-O, 326-O or 617) 
corresponding to the actual shipment. There will be a grace period 
from January 1, 1998 through February 14, 1998 during which products 
exported from Indonesia in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may 
be accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa and ELVIS 
transmission. During the grace period, products visaed in merged 
Categories 317/617/326 may be accompanied by a 317-O/617/326-O 
merged category visa and ELVIS transmission, a 317/617/326 merged 
whole category visa and ELVIS transmission, or the correct category 
visa and ELVIS transmission (317, 326, 617, 317-O or 326-O) 
corresponding to the actual shipment. A visa and ELVIS transmission 
will not be required for discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 
314, 315, 317 and 326 imported on or after January 1, 1998, 
regardless of the date of export.
    Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this 
directive which are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa 
and ELVIS transmission shall be denied entry and a new visa and 
ELVIS transmission must be obtained.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs 
exception to 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. 98-3109 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F