[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66081-66082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29420]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of an Import Restraint Limit for Certain Cotton and 
Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Laos

November 20, 2003.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and 
Border Protection establishing a limit.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, 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 Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection Web site at http://www.customs.gov. For 
information on embargoes and quota re-openings, refer to the Office of 
Textiles and Apparel Web site at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

[[Page 66082]]


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.
    The Bilateral Textile Agreement of June 23, 2000 between the 
Governments of the United States and the Lao People's Democratic 
Republic, establishes a limit for Categories 340/640 for the period 
January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the 
2004 limit for Categories 340/640.
    This limit may be revised if Laos becomes a member of the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Laos.
    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 68 FR 1599, published on January 13, 2003). Information 
regarding the 2004 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

November 20, 2003.
Commissioner of Customs,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, 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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of 
June 23, 2000 between the Governments of the United States and the 
Lao People's Democratic Republic, you are directed to prohibit, 
effective on January 1, 2004, entry into the United States for 
consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton 
and man-made fiber textile products in Categories 340/640, produced 
or manufactured in Laos and exported during the twelve-month period 
beginning on January 1, 2004 and extending through December 31, 
2004, in excess of 213,794 dozen.
    The limit set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
    Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limit for that year (see 
directive dated November 1, 2002) to the extent of any unfilled 
balance. 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.
    This limit may be revised if Laos becomes a member of the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Laos.
    In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner, Bureau 
of Customs and Border Protection 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,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 03-29420 Filed 11-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S