[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57408-57409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22865]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Levels for Certain Wool and Man-Made Fiber 
Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the United 
Mexican States

September 3, 2002.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
levels under the North America Free Trade Agreement.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2003.

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 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.gov. For information on embargoes and 
quota re-openings, refer to the Office of Textiles and Apparel website 
at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

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.
    In order to implement Annex 300-B of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA), restrictions and consultation levels for certain 
cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products from Mexico are being 
established for the period beginning on January 1, 2003 and extending 
through December 31, 2003.
    These restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to NAFTA 
originating goods, as defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 
of the NAFTA. In addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not 
apply to textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from 
fabrics wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from 
and re-imported into the United States under Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States item 9802.00.90.
    The 2003 DCL for Category 433 was reduced by 1,000 dozen to account 
for an increase of 1,000 dozen to the 2002 DCL. To the extent that the 
2002 increase was not used, the 2003 DCL will be increased later in 
2003.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to implement levels for the 2003 period.
    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 66 FR 65178, published on December 18, 2001). 
Information regarding the 2003 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register at a later date.

James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

September 3, 2002.

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 North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA), between the Governments of the United States, the 
United Mexican States and Canada, you are directed to prohibit, 
effective on January 1, 2003, entry into the United States for 
consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of wool 
and man-made fiber textile products in the following categories, 
produced or manufactured in Mexico and exported during the twelve-
month period beginning on January 1, 2003 and extending through 
December 31, 2003, in excess of the following levels:

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                 Category                        Twelve-month limit
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410.......................................  397,160 square meters.
433.......................................  10,000 dozen.
443.......................................  213,496 numbers.
611.......................................  1,267,710 square meters.
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[[Page 57409]]

    The levels set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of Annex 300-B of the NAFTA.
    Products in the above categories exported during 2002 shall be 
charged to the applicable category levels for that year (see 
directive dated November 23, 2001) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the levels established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the levels set forth in this directive.
    The foregoing levels do not apply to NAFTA originating goods, as 
defined in Annex 300-B, Chapter 4 and Annex 401 of the NAFTA. In 
addition, restrictions and consultation levels do not apply to 
textile and apparel goods that are assembled in Mexico from fabrics 
wholly formed and cut in the United States and exported from and re-
imported into the United States under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States item 9802.00.90.
    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,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 02-22865 Filed 9-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S