[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 233 (Friday, December 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67051-67052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32352]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool, 
Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Romania

November 30, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of these 
limits, refer to the Quota Status Reports posted on the bulletin boards 
of each Customs port, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the U.S. Customs 
website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. For information on embargoes 
and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:


[[Page 67052]]


    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 import restraint limits for textile products, produced or 
manufactured in Romania and exported during the period January 1, 1999 
through December 31, 1999 are based on the limits notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required for 
products integrated in the second stage of the integration of textiles 
and clothing into GATT 1994 from WTO member countries (see 63 FR 53881, 
published on October 7, 1998). A visa will continue to be required for 
non-integrated products. For quota purposes only, products remaining in 
categories partially integrated will continue to be designated by the 
designator ``pt.''
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1999 limits. The limits for 
certain categories have been reduced for carryforward applied in 1998.
    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 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 1996). 
Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 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 Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective 
on January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made 
fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile 
products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in 
Romania and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on 
January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31, 1999, in excess 
of the following levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                        Twelve-month limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
313.......................................  2,156,440 square meters.
314.......................................  1,617,329 square meters.
315.......................................  3,892,107 square meters.
333/833...................................  154,149 dozen.
334.......................................  372,595 dozen.
335/835...................................  195,257 dozen.
338/339...................................  842,685 dozen.
340.......................................  367,827 dozen.
341/840...................................  154,149 dozen.
347/348...................................  657,706 dozen.
350.......................................  34,818 dozen.
352.......................................  234,461 dozen.
359pt. \1\................................  841,005 kilograms.
360.......................................  2,173,391 numbers.
361.......................................  1,448,928 numbers.
369pt. \2\................................  381,423 kilograms.
410.......................................  174,734 square meters.
433/434...................................  9,106 dozen.
435.......................................  9,525 dozen.
442.......................................  11,724 dozen.
443.......................................  85,101 numbers.
444.......................................  40,118 numbers.
447/448...................................  23,513 dozen.
604.......................................  1,667,999 kilograms.
638/639...................................  783,169 dozen.
640.......................................  107,712 dozen.
647.......................................  102,546 dozen.
648.......................................  77,532 dozen.
666.......................................  156,155 kilograms.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6406.99.1550.
\2\ Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090,
  5701.90.1020, 5701.90.2020, 5702.10.9020, 5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020,
  5702.49.1080, 5702.59.1000, 5702.99.1010, 5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020
  and 6406.10.7700.

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified 
to the Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Products in the above categories exported during 1998 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated November 24, 1997) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the limits established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the limits set forth in this directive.
    Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required 
for products integrated in the second stage of the integration of 
textiles and clothing into GATT 1994 from WTO member countries (see 
directive dated September 30, 1998). A visa will continue to be 
required for non-integrated products. For quota purposes only, 
products remaining in categories partially integrated will continue 
to be designated by the designator ``pt.''
    In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner of 
Customs should construe entry into the United States for consumption 
to include entry for consumption into the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that these actions fall 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.
[FR Doc. 98-32352 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F