[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 233 (Friday, December 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67053-67054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32356]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Unit of Quantity Requirement for Textile and Apparel Products 
Produced or Manufactured in Various Countries

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs requiring 
visa quantities be in whole numbers only.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian F. Fennessy, 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 United States Government has notified all countries with visa 
arrangements with the United States of the requirement to issue visas 
in whole numbers. Shipments of textile and apparel products subject to 
visa arrangements are charged by U.S. Customs Service using whole 
numbers only. Quantities stated in decimals or fractions will not be 
accepted. Shipment quantities not in whole units must be

[[Page 67054]]

reported as a whole number on the visa, as follows:
    1. Shipments of less than a single whole unit must be reported as 
``one'' whole unit;
    2. Shipment quantities over one whole unit, may be rounded up or 
down to a whole number. Quantities one-half of a whole unit or higher 
must be rounded up. Shipment quantities of less than one-half of a 
whole unit may be rounded down.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to require that the quantity stated on the visa 
be listed in whole numbers only.
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); and Executive Order 11651 
of March 3, 1972, as amended, the United States Government has 
notified all countries with visa arrangements with the United States 
of the requirement to issue visas in whole numbers.
    Effective on January 1, 1999, you are directed to require that 
shipment quantities of textile and apparel products entered for 
consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption into the 
United States (i.e., the 50 States, the District of Columbia and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) be stated on the visa in whole numbers 
only. Quantities stated in decimals or fractions will not be 
accepted. Shipment quantities not in whole units must be reported as 
a whole number on the visa, as follows:
    1. Shipments of less than a single whole unit must be reported 
as ``one'' whole unit;
    2. Shipment quantities over one whole unit, may be rounded up or 
down to a whole number. Quantities one-half of a whole unit or 
higher must be rounded up. Shipment quantities of less than one-half 
of a whole unit may be rounded down.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that this action falls 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. 98-32356 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F