[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 43624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18839]



[[Page 43624]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Customs and Border Protection

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

19 CFR Part 10

[CBP Dec. 03-10]
RIN 1515-AD27


Refund of Duties Paid on Imports of Certain Wool Products

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the Customs Regulations by removing the 
regulation originally promulgated to provide procedures for the 
issuance of the refunds of duties paid on certain wool imports pursuant 
to section 505 of title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. As 
section 5101 of the Trade Act of 2002 significantly amended section 505 
and provides self-effectuating procedures for the issuance of the 
refunds, the regulation implementing section 505 is no longer necessary 
and is obsolete.

DATES: The amendment is effective July 24, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Kingsbury, Regulations Branch, 
Office of Regulations and Rulings, Customs and Border Protection, 1300 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229, Tel. (202) 572-8763.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On May 18, 2000, the Trade and Development Act of 2000 was signed 
into law. See Public Law 106-200, 114 Stat. 251. Title V of the Act 
concerns imports of certain wool articles and sets forth provisions 
intended to provide tariff relief to U.S. manufacturers of specific 
wool products. Within title V, section 505 permits eligible U.S. 
manufacturers to claim a limited refund of duties paid on imports of 
select wool articles.
    On December 26, 2000, Customs (now the Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP)) promulgated in Sec.  10.184, Customs Regulations (19 
CFR 10.184), a regulation to provide the procedures for issuing refunds 
pursuant to section 505. See 65 FR 81344. This section was subsequently 
amended by documents published in the Federal Register on April 23, 
2001 (66 FR 20392), and January 23, 2002 (67 FR 3059).
    On August 6, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Trade Act of 
2002. Division E of the Trade Act of 2002 contains miscellaneous 
provisions. Within Division E, title L sets forth miscellaneous trade 
benefits with subtitle A pertaining specifically to wool provisions. 
Within subtitle A, section 5101, entitled the ``Wool Manufacturer 
Payment Clarification and Technical Corrections Act,'' amends section 
505.
    The amendments to section 505 are extensive and self-effectuating, 
making Sec.  10.184 of the Customs Regulations unnecessary and 
obsolete. For this reason, part 10 of the Customs Regulations is 
amended by removing Sec.  10.184.
    It is noted that a document was published in the Federal Register 
(67 FR 52520) on August 12, 2002, that set forth section 505 of the 
Trade Act of 2002, as amended, with its self-effectuating procedures, 
and provided a detailed description of the changes to the wool duty 
payment program.

Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Flexibility Act, Inapplicability of 
Prior Public Notice and Comment Procedures and Delayed Effective Date 
Requirements

    This document does not meet the criteria for a ``significant 
regulatory action'' as specified in Executive Order 12866. Because this 
amendment merely removes from the Customs Regulations a regulation 
which is now obsolete, CBP has determined, pursuant to the provisions 
of 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), that prior public notice and comment procedures 
on this regulation are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. 
For the same reason, pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), 
there is good cause for dispensing with a delayed effective date. 
Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required, this document is 
not subject to the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

Drafting Information

    The principal author of this document was Ms. Suzanne Kingsbury, 
Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, CBP.

List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 10

    Customs duties and inspection, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Trade agreements.

Amendments to the Regulations

0
For the reasons stated above, 19 CFR part 10 is amended as follows:

PART 10--ARTICLES CONDITIONALLY FREE, SUBJECT TO A REDUCED RATE, 
ETC.

0
1. The general authority citation for part 10 continues to read as 
follows, and the specific authority for Sec.  10.184 is removed:

    Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1202 (General Note 23, Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States), 1321, 1481, 1484, 1498, 1508, 
1623, 1624, 3314.
* * * * *

0
2. The center heading preceding Sec.  10.184 and Sec.  10.184 are 
removed.

Robert C. Bonner,
Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.
    Approved: July 21, 2003.
Timothy E. Skud,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 03-18839 Filed 7-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P