[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 72 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 19879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9179]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Implementation of an Import Sublimit for Certain Man-Made Fiber 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Belarus

April 7, 2000.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs implementing 
a sublimit.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 14, 2000.

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 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.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.

    Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the 
Governments of the United States and Belarus, dated February 17, 2000, 
a notice published in the Federal Register on March 22, 2000 (65 FR 
15315) established a new limit for Category 622 of 11,500,000 square 
meters, effective for the period January 1, 2000 through December 31, 
2000. This notice cancelled and superseded the limit set forth in 
Federal Register notice 64 FR 71982, published on December 22, 1999.
    In addition, both governments agreed to establish a sublimit of 
1,000,000 square meters for the entry for consumption and withdrawal 
from warehouse for consumption of glass fiber fabric in Category 622-L 
weighing 185 grams or less per square meter. This directive implements 
the Category 622-L sublimit for the period that began on January 1, 
2000 and extends through December 31, 2000.
    This sublimit may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Belarus.
    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).

Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

April 7, 2000.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

    Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel 
the directive issued to you on March 16, 2000. That directive 
concerns imports of certain man-made fiber textile products in 
Category 622, produced or manufactured in Belarus and exported 
during the twelve-month period which began on January 1, 2000 and 
extends through December 30, 2000.
    Pursuant to section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, 
effective on April 14, 2000, you are directed to prohibit entry into 
the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for 
consumption of glass fiber fabric products in Category 622-L, 
produced or manufactured in Belarus and exported during the twelve-
month period which began on January 1, 2000 and extends through 
December 31, 2000, in excess of 1,000,000 square meters \1\.
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    \1\ Category 622-L (within Category 622): only HTS numbers 
7019.51.9010, 7019.52.4010, 7019.52.9010, 7019.59.4010, and 
7019.59.9010. The sublimit has not been adjusted to account for any 
imports exported after December 31, 1999.
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    Textile products in Category 622-L which have been exported to 
the United States prior to January 1, 2000 shall not be subject to 
the sublimit established in this directive.
    This sublimit may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Belarus.
    Import charges to the sublimit will be provided at a later date.
    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,

Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.00-9179 Filed 4-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F