[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68601-68602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30484]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Announcement of an Import Limit for Certain Wool Textile Products 
Produced or Manufactured in Russia

December 3, 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: 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 website at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:


[[Page 68602]]


    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, effected by exchange of notes 
dated August 13, 1996 and September 9, 1996, as amended on February 26, 
2001, and April 30, 2001, between the Governments of the United States 
and the Russian Federation establishes a limit for wool textile 
products in Category 435 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 
limit for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.
    This limit may be revised if Russia becomes a member of the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Russia.
    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 availability of 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

December 3, 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 Bilateral Textile Agreement, 
effected by exchange of notes dated August 13, 1996 and September 9, 
1996, as amended on February 26, 2001, and April 30, 2001, between 
the Governments of the United States and the Russian Federation, you 
are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 2004, entry into 
the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for 
consumption of wool textile products in Category 435, produced or 
manufactured in Russia and exported during the period beginning on 
January 1, 2004 and extending through December 31, 2004, in excess 
of 58,583, dozen. \1\
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    \1\ The limit set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant 
to the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and the Russian Federation.
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    Products in the above category 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 Russia becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Russia.
    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.03-30484 Filed 12-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S