[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66080-66081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29423]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access 
Levels for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber and Other Vegetable 
Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Jamaica

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 limits and guaranteed access levels.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2004.

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 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.

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 import restraint limits and Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for 
textile products, produced or manufactured in Jamaica and exported 
during the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 are based 
on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the 
Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    These specific limits and guaranteed access levels do not apply to 
goods that qualify for quota-free entry under the Trade and Development 
Act of 2000.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish 
limits and guaranteed access levels for the period January 1, 2004 
through December 31, 2004.
    These limits are subject to adjustment pursuant to the provisions 
of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified to the Textiles 
Monitoring Body. However, as the ATC and all restrictions thereunder 
will terminate on January 1, 2005, no adjustment for carryforward 
(borrowing from next year's limits for use in the current year) will be 
available.
    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.
    Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are 
available in Federal Register notice 63 FR 16474, published on April 3, 
1998.

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 20, 2003.

Commissioner,
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 Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC), 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, wool, man-made 
fiber and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products in the 
following categories, produced or manufactured in Jamaica and 
exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 2004 
and extending through December 31, 2004, in excess of the following 
levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
331pt./631pt. \1\.........................  1,257,436 dozen pairs.
338/339/638/639...........................  2,482,430 dozen.
340/640...................................  1,160,849 dozen of which not
                                             more than 982,257 dozen
                                             shall be in shirts made
                                             from fabrics with two or
                                             more colors in the warp and/
                                             or the filling in
                                             Categories 340-Y/640-Y \2\.
341/641...................................  1,457,670 dozen.
345/845...................................  359,686 dozen.
347/348/647/648...........................  2,679,473 dozen.
352/652...................................  4,003,636 dozen.
445/446...................................  59,144 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 331pt.: all HTS numbers except 6116.10.1720, 6116.10.4810,
  6116.10.5510, 6116.10.7510, 6116.92.6410, 6116.92.6420, 6116.92.6430,
  6116.92.6440, 6116.92.7450, 6116.92.7460, 6116.92.7470, 6116.92.8800,
  6116.92.9400 and 6116.99.9510; Category 631pt.: all HTS numbers except
  6116.10.1730, 6116.10.4820, 6116.10.5520, 6116.10.7520, 6116.93.8800,
  6116.93.9400, 6116.99.4800, 6116.99.5400 and 6116.99.9530.
\2\ Category 340-Y: only HTS numbers 6205.20.2015, 6205.20.2020,
  6205.20.2046, 6205.20.2050 and 6205.20.2060; Category 640-Y: only HTS
  numbers 6205.30.2010, 6205.30.2020, 6205.30.2050 and 6205.30.2060.

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified 
to the Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated October 9, 2002) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the limits established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the limits set forth in this directive.
    Also pursuant to the ATC; and under the terms of the Special 
Access Program, as set forth in 63 FR 16474 (April 3, 1998), you are 
directed to establish guaranteed access levels for properly 
certified cotton, wool, man-made fiber and other vegetable fiber 
textile products in the following categories which are assembled in 
Jamaica from fabric formed and cut in the United States and re-
exported to the United States from Jamaica during the twelve-month 
period which begins on January 1, 2004 and extends through December 
31, 2004:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                     Guaranteed access level
------------------------------------------------------------------------
331pt./631pt. \1\......................  1,320,000 dozen pairs.
336/636................................  125,000 dozen.
338/339/638/639........................  1,500,000 dozen.
340/640................................  300,000 dozen.
341/641................................  375,000 dozen.
342/642................................  200,000 dozen.
345/845................................  50,000 dozen.
347/348/647/648........................  2,000,000 dozen.

[[Page 66081]]

 
352/652................................  10,500,000 dozen.
447....................................  30,000 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is 
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification in accordance 
with the provisions of the certification requirements established in 
the directive of February 19, 1987 (52 FR 6049) shall be denied 
entry unless the Government of Jamaica authorizes the entry and any 
charges to the appropriate specific limits. Any shipment which is 
declared for entry under the Special Access Program but found not to 
qualify shall be denied entry into the United States.
    These specific limits and guaranteed access levels do not apply 
to goods that qualify for quota-free entry under the Trade and 
Development Act of 2000.
    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 these actions fall within the foreign affairs 
exception of the rulemaking provisions of U.S.C.553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.03-29423 Filed 11-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S