[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 99 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28362-28363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13796]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Quota and Visa Requirements for Certain Cotton 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Turkey

May 18, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 2, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, 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 January 16, 1998 and March 27, 1998, the 
Governments of the United States and Turkey 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 Turkey and imported on or after June 2, 
1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements. Also, for quota 
purposes, discharge printed fabric classified in the aforementioned HTS 
numbers, produced or manufactured in Turkey and imported on or after 
June 2, 1998 will not be subject to 1998 limits, regardless of the date 
of export. The new designations for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 
326 will be 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O. The 1998 quota levels 
for the new part-categories remain unchanged.
    Effective on June 2, 1998, products in Categories 313, 314, 315, 
317 and 326, produced or manufactured in Turkey and exported from 
Turkey on or after March 27, 1998 must be accompanied by a 313-O, 314-
O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O part-category visa. There will be a grace 
period from March 27, 1998 through June 30, 1998 during which products 
exported from Turkey in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be 
accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to amend the export quota and visa 
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 6859, published on March 5, 1987; and 62 FR 67839, published on 
December 30, 1997.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
May 18, 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 22, 1997, by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That 
directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and man-made 
fiber textile products, produced or manufactured in Turkey and 
exported during the twelve-month period which begins on January 1, 
1998 and extends through December 31, 1998.
    Effective on June 2, 1998, pursuant to exchange of notes dated 
January 16, 1998 and March 27, 1998 between the Governments of the 
United States and Turkey and under the terms of the Uruguay Round 
Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, 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 Turkey and imported on or after June 2, 
1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements. Also, for quota 
purposes, discharge printed fabric classified in the aforementioned 
HTS numbers, produced or manufactured in Turkey and imported on or 
after June 2, 1998 will not be subject to 1998 limits, regardless of 
the date of export. The new designations for Categories 313, 314, 
315, 317 and 326 will be 313-O \1\, 314-O \2\, 315-O \3\, 317-O \4\ 
and 326-O \5\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The import restraint limits for the new part-categories remain 
the same as the 1998

[[Page 28363]]

sublimits in the Fabric Group for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 
326.
    Effective on June 2, 1998, you are directed to amend further the 
directive dated March 2, 1987 to require a part-category visa for 
products in Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O, 
produced or manufactured in Turkey and exported on or after March 
27, 1998. There will be a grace period from March 27, 1998 through 
June 30, 1998 during which products exported from Turkey in 
Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be accompanied by the 
whole or new part-category visa.
    Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this 
directive which are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa 
shall be denied entry and a new visa 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.98-13796 Filed 5-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F