[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31447-31448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15292]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Public Comment Period on the Elimination of the 
Paper Visa Requirement for Taiwan

June 3, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Seeking public comments on the elimination of the paper visa 
requirement for Taiwan.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Mennitt, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3821.

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.

    The Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) allows foreign 
governments to electronically transfer shipment information to the U.S. 
Customs Service on textile and apparel shipments subject to bilateral 
provisions. On November 9, 1995, a notice was published in the Federal 
Register (60 FR 56576) seeking public comments on the implementation of 
ELVIS. Subsequently, a document published on October 31, 1997 (62 FR

[[Page 31448]]

58943) announced that Taiwan, starting on November 1, 1997, would begin 
an ELVIS dual visa system test implementation phase. This test phase 
does not eliminate the requirement for a valid paper visa to accompany 
each shipment for entry into the United States.
    As a result of successful use of the dual visa system, preparations 
are under way to move beyond the current dual system to the paperless 
ELVIS system with Taiwan. However, goods exempt from visa requirements 
will still require a proper and correct exempt certification.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements is 
requesting interested parties to submit comments on the elimination of 
the paper visa requirement for Taiwan and utilization of the ELVIS 
system exclusively. Comments must be received on or before August 10, 
1998. Comments may be mailed to Troy H. Cribb, Chairman, Committee for 
the Implementation of Textile Agreements, room 3001, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    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).
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.98-15292 Filed 6-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F