[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 70217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32626]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool 
and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in 
Cambodia

December 10, 1999.
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, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, 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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of January 20, 1999, between the 
Governments of the United States and Cambodia establishes limits for 
the period January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2000.
    These limits may be revised if Cambodia becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Cambodia.
    Moreover, these limits may be revised in light of the U.S. 
determination as to whether working conditions in the Cambodian textile 
and apparel sector substantially comply with Cambodian labor law and 
internationally recognized core labor standards (see Federal Register 
notice 64 FR 60428, published on November 5, 1999).
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish the 2000 limits.
     The special carryforward for Categories 338/339 and 347/348/647/
648 is being deducted from the 2000 limits. Normal carryforward is 
being deducted for all categories except Categories 331/631.
    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 63 FR 71096, published on December 23, 1998). 
Information regarding the 2000 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
December 10, 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; and the Bilateral Textile Agreement, 
dated January 20, 1999, between the Governments of the United States 
and Cambodia, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 
2000, 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 Cambodia and exported during the twelve-month period 
beginning on January 1, 2000 and extending through December 31, 
2000, in excess of the following levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
331/631...................................  1,643,000 dozen pairs.
334/634...................................  170,000 dozen.
335/635...................................  65,000 dozen.
338/339...................................  2,400,000 dozen.
340/640...................................  750,000 dozen.
345.......................................  94,000 dozen.
347/348/647/648...........................  2,760,000 dozen.
352/652...................................  600,000 dozen.
438.......................................  85,500 dozen.
445/446...................................  104,500 dozen.
638/639...................................  900,000 dozen.
645/646...................................  250,000 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the current bilateral agreement between the 
Governments of the United States and Cambodia.
    Products in the above categories exported during 1999 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated February 1, 1999) 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.
    These limits may be revised if Cambodia becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Cambodia.
    Moreover, these limits may be revised in light of the U.S. 
determination as to whether working conditions in the Cambodian 
textile and apparel sector substantially comply with Cambodian labor 
law and internationally recognized core labor standards (see Federal 
Register notice 64 FR 60428, published on November 5, 1999).
    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. 99-32626 Filed 12-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F