[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69673-69674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E3-00559]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of Import Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-
Made Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in 
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

December 10, 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

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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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of July 17, 2000 between the 
Governments of the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 
establishes limits for certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textiles 
and textile products, produced or manufactured in the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam and exported during the period January 1, 2004 
through December 31, 2004.
    Carryforward applied to the 2003 limits has been deducted from all 
categories. Any categories which did not use all carryforward in 2003 
will be re-credited back the unused amount later in 2004.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the 
2004 limits.
    These limits may be revised if Vietnam becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Vietnam.
    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

December 10, 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); and Executive Order 11651 
of March 3, 1972, as amended, and the bilateral textile agreement of 
July 17, 2003, between the Governments of the United States and the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 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 and man-made fiber textiles and textile products in the 
following categories, produced or manufactured in Vietnam 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                          Restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
200.......................................  309,000 kilograms.
301.......................................  700,400 kilograms.
332.......................................  1,030,000 dozen pairs.
333.......................................  37,080 dozen.
334/335...................................  695,250 dozen.
338/339...................................  14,233,333 dozen.
340/640...................................  2,060,000 dozen.
341/641...................................  785,579 dozen.
342/642...................................  571,325 dozen.
345.......................................  309,000 dozen.
347/348...................................  7,116,667 dozen.
351/651...................................  496,460 dozen.
352/652...................................  1,905,500 dozen.
359-C/659-C \1\...........................  334,750 kilograms.
359-S/659-S \2\...........................  540,750 kilograms.
434.......................................  15,876 dozen.
435.......................................  39,200 dozen.
440.......................................  2,450 dozen.
447.......................................  50,960 dozen.
448.......................................  31,360 dozen.
620.......................................  6,554,920 square meters.
632.......................................  515,000 dozen pairs.
638/639...................................  1,309,130 dozen.
645/646...................................  206,000 dozen.
647/648...................................  2,032,517 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 359-C: only HTS numbers 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034,
  6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010,
  6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and
  6211.42.0010; Category 659-C: only HTS numbers 6103.23.0055,
  6103.43.2020, 6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020,
  6104.63.1030, 6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054,
  6203.43.2010, 6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510,
  6204.69.1010, 6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017 and
  6211.43.0010.
\2\ Category 359-S: only HTS numbers 6112.39.0010, 6112.49.0010,
  6211.11.8010, 6211.11.8020, 6211.12.8010 and 6211.12.8020; Category
  659-S: only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020, 6112.41.0010,
  6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010, 6211.11.1020,
  6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
    Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated May 12, 2003) 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.
    These limits may be revised if Vietnam becomes a member of the 
World Trade

[[Page 69674]]

Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement 
to Vietnam.
    In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner 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 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
    Sincerely,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E3-00559 Filed 12-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S