[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 44 (Friday, March 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 10429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4989]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of an Import Limit for Certain Man-Made Fiber 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Belarus

March 1, 2004.
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: March 5, 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 this 
limit, 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.cbp.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:

    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.
    On December 12, 2003, CITA directed the Commissioner, Bureau of 
Customs and Border Protection, to establish 2004 import limits for 
certain wool and man-made fiber textile products produced or 
manufactured in Belarus (See 68 FR 70494, published on December 18, 
2003). That directive included a limit on Category 622, with a sublimit 
on 622-L. The Bilateral Textile Memorandum of Understanding dated 
January 10, 2003 between the Governments of the United States and 
Belarus also calls for an additional sublimit, on Category 622-N. As, 
the United States and Belarus have not been able to reach agreement on 
the terms of this additional sublimit, the United States is 
implementing a sublimit on Category 622-N pending agreement with the 
Government of Belarus on its terms. This sublimit may be revised if the 
Governments of the United States and Belarus reach agreement on the 
terms of the sublimit or 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 
limit for Category 622-N.
    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).

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

March 1, 2004.

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 March 5, 2004, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of glass fiber fabric 
products in Category 622-N \1\, produced or manufactured in Belarus 
and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 
2004 and extending through December 31, 2004 in excess of 611,326 
square meters.
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    \1\ Category 622-N : HTS numbers 7019.52.40.20, 7019.52.90.20, 
7019.59.40.20, 7019.59.90.20.
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    Textile products in Category 622-N which have been exported to 
the United States prior to January 1, 2004 shall not be subject to 
this directive.
    Textile products in this category which have been released from 
the custody of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection under the 
provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1448(b) or 1484(a)(1) prior to the effective 
date of this directive shall not be denied entry under this 
directive.
    This limit may be revised if the Governments of the United 
States and Belarus reach agreement on the terms of the sublimit or 
if Belarus becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 
and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Belarus.
    Import charges will be provided at a later date.
    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.04-4989 Filed 3-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S