[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70108-70109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33500]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access 
Levels for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced 
or Manufactured in El Salvador

December 14, 1998.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
import limits and guaranteed access levels.

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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:

    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 and Guaranteed Access Levels for 
textile products, produced or manufactured in El Salvador and exported 
during the periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 
342/642) and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/
640) are based on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body 
pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) 
and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) dated September 26, 1994 and July 
18, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and El Salvador.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access 
levels for 1999.
    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). 
Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.
    Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are 
available in Federal Register notice 63 FR 16474, published on April 3, 
1998.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 14, 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; the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles 
and Clothing (ATC); and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) dated 
September 26, 1996 and July 18, 1996 between the Governments of the 
United States and El Salvador, 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 
and man-made fiber textile products in the following categories, 
produced or manufactured in El Salvador and exported during the 
periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 342/642) 
and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/640), 
in excess of the following restraint limits:

 
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                 Category                          Restraint limit
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340/640...................................  1,229,436 dozen.
342/642...................................  90,388 dozen.
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    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 1997 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.
    Also pursuant to the ATC and Memoranda of Understanding dated 
September 26, 1994

[[Page 70109]]

and July 18, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and 
El Salvador; and under the terms of the Special Access Program, as 
set forth in 63 FR 16474 (April 3, 1998), effective on January 1, 
1999, guaranteed access levels are being established for properly 
certified textile products assembled in El Salvador from fabric 
formed and cut in the United States in the following categories 
which are re-exported to the United States from El Salvador during 
the periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 342/
642) and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/
640):

 
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                 Category                      Guaranteed Access Level
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340/640...................................  1,000,000 dozen.
342/642...................................  95,342 dozen.
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    Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is 
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification in accordance 
with the provisions of the certification requirements established in 
the directive of January 6, 1995, as amended, shall be denied entry 
unless the Government of El Salvador authorizes the entry and any 
charges to the appropriate specific limit. Any shipment which is 
declared for entry under the Special Access Program but found not to 
qualify shall be denied entry into the United States.
    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. 98-33500 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F