[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 70107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33502]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels for 
Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or 
Manufactured in Costa Rica

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
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 (GALs) for 
textile products, produced or manufactured in Costa Rica and exported 
during the period January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 are based 
on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the 
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access 
levels for 1999. The limit for Category 443 has 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 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; 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 and man-
made fiber textile products in the following categories, produced or 
manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the twelve-month 
period beginning on January 1, 1999 and extending through December 
31, 1999, in excess of the following restraint limits:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                        Twelve-month limit
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340/640................................  1,146,696 dozen.
342/642................................  423,310 dozen.
347/348................................  1,932,437 dozen.
443....................................  205,635 numbers.
447....................................  11,783 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 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.
    Also pursuant to the ATC, and under the terms of the Special 
Access Program, as set forth in 63 FR 16474 (April 3, 1998), you are 
directed to establish guaranteed access levels for properly 
certified cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products in the 
following categories which are assembled in Costa Rica from fabric 
formed and cut in the United States and re-exported to the United 
States from Costa Rica during the period beginning on January 1, 
1999 and extending through December 31, 1999:

 
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                Category                     Guaranteed access level
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340/640................................  650,000 dozen.
342/642................................  250,000 dozen.
347/348................................  1,500,000 dozen.
443....................................  200,000 numbers.
447....................................  4,000 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 May 15, 1990, as amended, shall be denied entry 
unless the Government of Costa Rica 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.
    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 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.98-33502 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F