[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 66963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28661]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 8, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 66963]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary


Determination of Total Amounts and Quota Period for Tariff-Rate 
Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar and Certain Imported Sugars, Syrups, and 
Molasses

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice establishes the aggregate quantity of 1,362,000 
metric tons, raw value, of raw cane sugar that may be entered under 
subheading 1701.11.10 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (HTS) during fiscal year (FY) 2000, with 227,000 metric tons 
held in reserve for possible allocation. This notice also establishes 
the aggregate quantity of 60,000 metric tons (raw value basis) for 
certain sugars, syrups, and molasses that may be entered under 
subheading 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 
2106.90.44 of the HTS during FY 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 8, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or delivered to the Important Policy 
and Programs Division Director, Foreign Agriculture Service, AgStop 
1021, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 
20250-1021 or e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Williams (Team Leader, Import 
Policy and Programs Division), 202-720-2916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paragraph (a)(i) of additional U.S. note 5 
to chapter 17 of the HTS provides in pertinent part as follows:

    The aggregate quantity of raw cane sugar entered, or withdrawn 
from warehouse for consumption, under subheading 1701.11.10, during 
any fiscal year, shall not exceed in the aggregate an amount 
(expressed in terms of raw value), not less than 1,117,195 metric 
tons, as shall be established by the Secretary of Agriculture 
(hereinafter referred to as ``the Secretary''), and the aggregate 
quantity of sugars, syrups, and molasses entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse for consumption, under subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 
1701.99.10, 1702.90.10 and 2106.90.44, during any fiscal year, shall 
not exceed in the aggregate an amount (expressed in terms of raw 
value), not less than 22,000 metric tons, as shall be established by 
the Secretary. With either the aggregate quantity for raw cane sugar 
or the aggregate quantity for sugars, syrups, and molasses other 
than raw sugar, the Secretary may reserve a quota quantity for the 
importation of specialty sugars as defined by the United States 
Trade Representative.

    These provisions of paragraph (a)(i) of additional U.S. note 5 to 
chapter 17 of the HTS authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to 
establish the total amounts (expressed in terms of raw value) for 
imports of raw cane sugar and certain other sugars, syrups, and 
molasses that may be entered under the subheadings of the HTS subject 
to the lower tier of duties of the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for entry 
during the fiscal year beginning October 1. Allocations of the quota 
amounts among supplying countries and areas will be made by the United 
States Trade Representative.

Notice

    I hereby give notice, in accordance with paragraph (a) of 
additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 17 of the HTS, that an aggregate 
quantity of up to 1,362,000 metric tons, raw value, or raw cane sugar 
described in subheading 1701.11.10 of the HTS may be entered or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during the period from October 
1, 1999, through September 30, 2000. Of this quantity, 1,135,000 metric 
tons is immediately available, to be allocated by the United States 
Trade Representative, and the remaining 227,000 metric tons will be 
held in reserve for possible allocation if warranted by market 
conditions.
    I will issue Certificates of Quota Eligibility (CQEs) to allow the 
Philippines, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic to ship up to 25 
percent of their respective initial country allocations at the low-tier 
tariff during each quarter of FY 2000. Australia, Guatemala, Argentina, 
and Peru will be allowed to ship up to 50 percent of their respective 
initial country allocations in the first six months of FY 2000. 
Unentered allocations, during any quarter or six month period, may be 
entered in any subsequent period. For all other countries, CQEs 
corresponding to their respective country allocations may be entered at 
the low-tier tariff at any time during the fiscal year. If additional 
country allocations result from the reserved TRQ quantity, they may be 
entered subsequent to their announcement by the United States Trade 
Representative.
    I have further determined, in accordance with paragraph (a) of 
additional U.S. note 5 to chapter 17 of the HTS, that an aggregate 
quantity of up to 60,000 metric tons, raw value, of certain sugars, 
syrups, and molasses described in subheadings 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 
1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 or the HTS may be entered or 
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during the period from October 
1, 1999 through September 30, 2000. I have further determined that out 
of this quantity of 60,000 metric tons, the quantity of 14,656 metric 
tons, raw value, is reserved for the importation of specialty sugars. 
These TRQ amounts may be allocated among supplying countries and areas 
by the United States Trade Representative.
    Mexico's access to the U.S. market under the North American Free 
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is established at 25,000 metric tons raw value. 
That access is for either raw or refined sugar, but total access under 
the refined sugar allocation and the raw-sugar allocation is not to 
exceed 25,000 metric tons. Mexico's access for either a raw or refined 
sugar is established pursuant to Annex 703.2 of the NAFTA.

    Signed at Washington, D.C. on October 30, 2000.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 00-28661 Filed 11-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M