[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 233 (Monday, December 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68087-68088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31495]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Export Visa and Quota Requirements for Certain 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in All Countries and Made Up 
in the European Community (EC)

November 23, 1999.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending 
visa and quota requirements to permit the use of a single visaed 
document and Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) transmission 
for certain textile products made up in the European Community.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2000.

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:


[[Page 68088]]


    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.

    Currently, entry into the customs territory of the United States 
for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of 
certain textiles and textile products for which the country of origin 
has not issued an appropriate visa is prohibited. Moreover, if the 
quantity indicated on the visa is less than that of the shipment, entry 
is prohibited.
    On August 16, 1999, the United States and the European Community 
(EC) (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, 
Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and 
the United Kingdom) signed a Proces-Verbal which concerned U.S. rules 
of origin for certain textile products. In that agreement, the United 
States agreed that a single import visaed invoice/license can be used 
on multiple shipments of textile products of cotton or consisting of 
fiber blends containing 16 percent or more by weight of cotton exported 
from the EC and classified in the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
(HTS) headings and subheadings 6117.10, 6213, 6214, 6302.22, 6302.29, 
6302.52, 6302.53, 6302.59, 6302.92, 6302.93, 6302.99, 6303.92, 6303.99, 
6304.19, 6304.93, 6304.99, 9404.90.85 and 9404.90.95, or products of 
cotton classified in HTS headings 6302.21, 6302.51, 6302.91, 6303.91, 
6304.92 or 9404.90.80.
    These products must be made up in an EC Member State from fabric 
which is dyed and printed in an EC Member State and has undergone in a 
Member State two or more of the following finishing operations: 
bleaching, shrinking, fulling, napping, decating, permanent stiffening, 
weighting, permanent embossing or moireing.
    As a result, CITA is directing the U.S. Customs Service to amend 
the current textile and apparel visa requirements for products 
manufactured in all countries (WTO and non-WTO member countries) 
subject to such requirements. The U.S. Customs Service is directed to 
permit the use of a single visaed document and Electronic Visa 
Information System (ELVIS) transmission for these products exported 
from the EC on and after August 16, 1999. For shipments of such 
products, if the quantity indicated on the visa is greater than the 
shipment, the visa will be valid for subsequent shipments, but the 
total quantity of imports entered using a visa may not exceed the 
quantity indicated on the visa.
Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 23, 1999.

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 World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Agreement on Textiles and Clothing; and the Proces-Verbal, dated 
August 16, 1999 between the Governments of the United States and the 
European Community (EC), you are directed to amend the current 
textile and apparel visa requirements for products manufactured in 
all countries (WTO and non-WTO member countries) and made up in the 
European Community.
    Effective on January 1, 2000, you are directed to permit a 
single visaed document and Electronic Visa Information System 
(ELVIS) transmission to be used on multiple shipments of textile 
products of cotton or consisting of fiber blends containing 16 
percent or more by weight of cotton classified in the following 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) of the United States headings and 
subheadings 6117.10, 6213, 6214, 6302.22, 6302.29, 6302.52, 6302.53, 
6302.59, 6302.92, 6302.93, 6302.99, 6303.92, 6303.99, 6304.19, 
6304.93, 6304.99, 9404.90.85 and 9404.90.95, or products of cotton 
classified in the following HTS headings 6302.21, 6302.51, 6302.91, 
6303.91, 6304.92 or 9404.90.80, exported from the EC. Such products 
must be made up in an EC Member State from fabric which is dyed and 
printed in a Member State and has undergone in a Member State two or 
more of the following finishing operations: bleaching, shrinking, 
fulling, napping, decating, permanent stiffening, weighting, 
permanent embossing or moireing.
    For shipment of the above products, if the quantity indicated on 
the visa is greater than the shipment, the visa will be valid for 
subsequent shipments, but the total quantity of imports entered 
using a visa may not exceed the quantity indicated on the visa. This 
only applies to shipments exported from the EC on and after August 
16, 1999.
    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.
[FR Doc. 99-31495 Filed 12-03-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F