[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53881-53883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26802]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Textile and Clothing 
Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage

September 30, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

ACTION: Issuing a Directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
export visa requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE:   January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

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 Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing provides for 
the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994. The second 
stage of the integration commenced on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, 
published on May 1, 1995). In a Federal Register notice published on 
October 3, 1997 (62 FR 51832), the Committee for the Implementation of 
Textile Agreements announced that it had determined that it was 
necessary to maintain coverage of the currently applicable visa systems 
for the products to be integrated in the second stage of the 
integration and that an export visa issued by the government of the 
country of origin would continue to be required for products integrated 
on and after January 1, 1998, before entry is permitted into the United 
States.
    Subsequent experience has shown that export visas for these 
products from World Trade Organization Member countries are not 
necessary. In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs 
the Commissioner of Customs to no longer require a visa for these 
products from World Trade Organization Member countries entered into 
the United States on and after January 1, 1999.
    A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS

[[Page 53882]]

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).
Troy H. Cribb
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
September 30, 1998.

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 World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, you are directed to amend the 
current visa requirements for textile and apparel products produced 
or manufactured in WTO Member countries (Bahrain, Bangladesh, 
Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Hong Kong, 
India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, 
Mauritius, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, 
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab 
Emirates) that are entered into the United States on and after 
January 1, 1999 and that are integrated into GATT 1994 in the second 
stage of the integration.
    Effective on January 1, 1999, export visas no longer will be 
required for certain textile and apparel products from WTO member 
countries.
    Textile categories subject to this directive are 229, 330, 349, 
353, 354, 432, 439, 465, 630, 632, 653, 654, 665, 832, 839 and 899; 
and products in 239--babies garments, except diapers; 359, 459, 659 
and 859--footwear; 369, 469 and 669--certain wadding and footwear; 
and 859--other silk blends and non-cotton vegetable fiber apparel. A 
complete list of products subject to this directive is attached to 
this letter.
    Export visas will continue to be required for non-integrated 
products and for products integrated in the second stage produced or 
manufactured in countries that are not members of the World Trade 
Organization.
    For WTO countries, non-integrated products in Categories 239, 
359, 459, 659, 859, 369, 469 and 669 shall continue to be visaed in 
those categories, except if a letter or number designator for a 
part-category already exists. All letter or number part category 
designators shall continue to be used except for ``pt'' (which is 
currently being used for quota purposes only). If an ``O'' 
designation already exists, then that part-category shall continue 
to require an ``O'' designation, excluding the HTS numbers for 
integrated products. The HTS coverage for non-WTO countries shall 
remain unchanged.
    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).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

ATTACHMENT

I. Part or Partial Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

        Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories, Except Diapers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                             1998 HTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
239.......................................  6111201000
239.......................................  6111202000
239.......................................  6111203000
239.......................................  6111204000
239.......................................  6111205000
239.......................................  6111206010
239.......................................  6111206020
239.......................................  6111206030
239.......................................  6111206040
239.......................................  6111301000
239.......................................  6111302000
239.......................................  6111303000
239.......................................  6111304000
239.......................................  6111305010
239.......................................  6111305015
239.......................................  6111305020
239.......................................  6111305030
239.......................................  6111305040
239.......................................  6111901000
239.......................................  6111902000
239.......................................  6111903000
239.......................................  6111904000
239.......................................  6111905010
239.......................................  6111905020
239.......................................  6111905030
239.......................................  6111905040
239.......................................  6209201000
239.......................................  6209202000
239.......................................  6209203000
239.......................................  6209205030
239.......................................  6209205035
239.......................................  6209205045
239.......................................  6209205050
239.......................................  6209301000
239.......................................  6209302000
239.......................................  6209303010
239.......................................  6209303020
239.......................................  6209303030
239.......................................  6209303040
239.......................................  6209901000
239.......................................  6209902000
239.......................................  6209903010
239.......................................  6209903015
239.......................................  6209903020
239.......................................  6209903030
239.......................................  6209903040
239.......................................  6505901515
239.......................................  6505902030
239.......................................  6505905030
239.......................................  6505906030
239.......................................  6505907030
239.......................................  6505908045
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                Footwear
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                             1998 HTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
359.......................................  6406991550
459.......................................  6405206030
459.......................................  6405206060
459.......................................  6405206090
459.......................................  6406991505
459.......................................  6406991560
659.......................................  6406991510
659.......................................  6406991540
859.......................................  6406991570
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                      Certain Wadding and Footwear
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                             1998 HTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
369.......................................  5601101000
369.......................................  5601210090
369.......................................  5701901020
369.......................................  5701902020
369.......................................  5702109020
369.......................................  5702392010
369.......................................  5702491020
369.......................................  5702491080
369.......................................  5702591000
369.......................................  5702991010
369.......................................  5702991090
369.......................................  5705002020
369.......................................  6406107700
469.......................................  5601290020
469.......................................  5603941010
469.......................................  6406109020
669.......................................  5601102000
669.......................................  5601220090
669.......................................  5607493000
669.......................................  5607504000
669.......................................  6406109040
------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Other Silk Blend and Non-cotton Vegetable Fiber Apparel
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                             1998 HTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
859.......................................  6103292082
859.......................................  6103498060
859.......................................  6104292087
859.......................................  6104292090
859.......................................  6104698020
859.......................................  6110909064
859.......................................  6110909066
859.......................................  6112202030
859.......................................  6112390090
859.......................................  6112490090
859.......................................  6114909020
859.......................................  6114909030
859.......................................  6114909040
859.......................................  6114909070
859.......................................  6117809570
859.......................................  6117909095
859.......................................  6203293080
859.......................................  6203498010
859.......................................  6204294090
859.......................................  6204294092
859.......................................  6204696070
859.......................................  6204699050
859.......................................  6211118040
859.......................................  6211128030
859.......................................  6211204860
859.......................................  6211207830
859.......................................  6211399010
859.......................................  6211399020
859.......................................  6211399060
859.......................................  6211399090
859.......................................  6211499010
859.......................................  6211499020
859.......................................  6211499060
859.......................................  6211499070
859.......................................  6211499090

[[Page 53883]]

859.......................................  6213102000
859.......................................  6213902000
859.......................................  6217109550
859.......................................  6217909095
859.......................................  6505901560
859.......................................  6505902590
859.......................................  6505909095
859.......................................  6505909085
------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Whole Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                             1998 HTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
229.......................................  Special Purpose Fabric
330.......................................  Handkerchiefs
349.......................................  Brassieres and Other Body
                                             Supporting Garments
353.......................................  Men's and Boys' Down-filled
                                             Coats
354.......................................  Women's and Girls' Down-
                                             filled Coats
432.......................................  Hosiery
439.......................................  Babies Garments and Clothing
                                             Accessories
465.......................................  Floor Coverings
630.......................................  Handkerchiefs
632.......................................  Hosiery
653.......................................  Men's and Boys' Down-filled
                                             Coats
654.......................................  Women's and Girls' Down-
                                             filled Coats
665.......................................  Floor Coverings
832.......................................  Hosiery
839.......................................  Babies Garments and Clothing
                                             Accessories
899.......................................  Other Silk and Vegetable
                                             Blend Manufactures
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[FR Doc. 98-26802 Filed 10-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F