[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 70494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E3-00585]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of Import Limits for Certain Wool and Man-Made 
Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Belarus

December 12, 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 Memorandum of Understanding dated January 10, 
2003 between the Governments of the United States and Belarus 
establishes limits for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 
2004.
    These limits may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Belarus.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the 
limits.
    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 12, 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; you are directed to prohibit, effective 
on January 1, 2004, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of textiles and textile 
products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in 
Belarus and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on 
January 1, 2004 and extending through December 31, 2004:

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                 Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit
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622.......................................  9,646,000 square meters of
                                             which not more than
                                             1,590,000 square meters
                                             shall be in Category 622-L
                                             \1\.
435.......................................  67,320 dozen.
448.......................................  34,680 dozen.
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\1\ Category 622-L: only HTS numbers 7019.51.9010, 7019.52.4010,
  7019.52.9010, 7019.59.4010, and 7019.59.9010.

    Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limit and sublimit for that year 
(see directive dated January 21, 2003) to the extent of any unfilled 
balance. In the event the limit and sublimit established for that 
period have been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall 
be charged to the limit and sublimit set forth in this directive.
    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and Belarus.
    This limits may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO 
agreement to Belarus.
    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. E3-00585 Filed 12-17-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S