[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 53 (Friday, March 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 14544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6762]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of an Import Limit for Certain Cotton Textile 
Products Produced or Manufactured in Pakistan

March 14, 2000.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
a limit.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: March 17, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of this 
limit, 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. For information on 
categories on which consultations have been requested, call (202) 482-
3740.

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.
    A notice published in the Federal Register on December 31, 1998 (63 
FR 72288) announced that the Government of the United States had 
requested consultations with the Government of Pakistan on December 24, 
1998 with respect to combed cotton yarn in Category 301, produced or 
manufactured in Pakistan and that, if no solution was agreed upon in 
consultations with the Government of Pakistan, the Government of the 
United States reserved its right to establish a twelve-month limit of 
not less than 5,262,665 kilograms for the entry for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of combed cotton yarn in 
Category 301, produced or manufactured in Pakistan. A restraint limit 
was established at that level for the March 17, 1999 through March 16, 
2000 period.
    The Government of the United States has decided to establish a 
limit of not less than 5,578,425 kilograms for the entry for 
consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of combed 
cotton yarn in Category 301, produced or manufactured in Pakistan for a 
second twelve-month period, beginning on March 17, 2000 and extending 
through March 16, 2001.
    The United States remains committed to finding a mutually agreed 
solution concerning Category 301. Should such a solution be reached in 
consultations with the Government of Pakistan, further notice will be 
published in the Federal Register.
    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 64 FR 71982, published on December 22, 1999). Also see 
64 FR 12290, published on March 12, 1999.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

March 14, 2000.

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 March 17, 2000, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of combed cotton yarn in 
Category 301, produced or manufactured in Pakistan and exported 
during the twelve-month period beginning on March 17, 2000 and 
extending through March 16, 2001, in excess of 5,578,425 kilograms.
    The limit set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the ATC.
    Products in the above category exported during the March 17, 
1999 through March 16, 2000 period shall be charged to the limit for 
that year (see directive dated March 5, 1999) to the extent of any 
unfilled balances. In the event the limit established for that 
period has been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall 
be charged to the limit set forth in this directive.
    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 this action falls within the foreign affairs 
exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 00-6762 Filed 3-16-00; 8:45 am]
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