[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13033-13034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6893]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Docket No. 971021249-8006-02]
RIN 0625-AA50


Allocation of Duty-Exemptions for Calendar Year 1998 Among Watch 
Producers Located in the Virgin Islands

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce; Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action allocates 1998 duty-exemptions for watch producers 
located in the Virgin Islands pursuant to Public Law 97-446, as amended 
by Public Law 103-465 (``the Act'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Faye Robinson, (202) 482-3526.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Act the Departments of the 
Interior and Commerce (the Departments) share responsibility for the 
allocation of duty exemptions among watch assembly firms in the United 
States insular possessions and the Northern Mariana Islands. In 
accordance with Section 303.3(a) of the regulations (15 CFR Part 303), 
this action establishes the total quantity of duty-free insular watches 
and watch movements for 1998 at 4,140,000 units and divides this amount 
among the three insular possessions of the United States and the 
Northern Mariana Islands. If this amount, 2,640,000 units may be 
allocated to Virgin Islands producers, 500,000 to Guam producers, 
500,000 to American Samoa producers and 500,000 to Northern Mariana 
Islands producers (63 FR 5887).
    The criteria for the calculation of the 1998 duty-exemption 
allocations among insular producers are set forth in Section 303.14 of 
the regulations.
    The Departments have verified the data submitted on application 
form ITA-334P by Virgin Islands producers and inspected their current 
operations in accordance with Section 303.5 of the regulations.
    In calendar year 1997 the Virgin Islands watch assembly firms 
shipped 922,229 watches and watch movements into the customs territory 
of the United States under the Act. The dollar amount of creditable 
corporate income taxes paid by Virgin Islands producers during calendar 
year 1997 plus the creditable wages paid by the industry during 
calendar year 1997 to residents of the territory was $3,458,360.
    There are no producers in Guam, American Samoa or the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
    The calendar year 1998 Virginia Islands annual allocations set 
forth below are based on the data verified by the Departments in the 
Virgin Islands. The allocations reflect adjustments made in data 
supplied on the producers' annual application forms (ITA-334P) as a 
result of the Departments' verification.
    The duty-exemption allocations for calendar year 1998 in the Virgin 
Islands are as follows:

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                                                                Annual  
                        Name of firm                          allocation
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Belair Quartz, Inc.........................................      500,000
Hampden Watch Co., Inc.....................................      200,000
Progress Watch Co., Inc....................................      350,000
Unitime Industries, Inc....................................      500,000
Tropex, Inc. Inc...........................................      300,000
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[[Page 13034]]

Robert S. LaRussa,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Department of Commerce.
Allen Stayman
Director, Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 98-6893 Filed 3-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M, 4310-93-M