[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 95 (Monday, May 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27895-27896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11213]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Reduction of Import Limits for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber 
Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam to Address Data Discrepancies

May 13, 2004.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and 
Border Protection.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: May 17, 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 website 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.
    During the negotiation of the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Textile 
Agreement, the United States became aware of possible discrepancies in 
the data regarding U.S. imports from Vietnam. As the specific limits in 
the Agreement were based in part on such data, the United States and 
Vietnam agreed to allow for adjustments to the specific limits if the 
United States discovered clear evidence of data discrepancies, 
presented this evidence to the Government of Vietnam, and the United 
States and Vietnam were unable to reach a satisfactory solution to 
resolve the discrepancies. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
undertook an extensive textile production verification visit to Vietnam 
and reported its findings to CITA in November. The United States has 
held consultations with the Government of Vietnam, presented clear 
evidence, and was unable to reach a mutually satisfactory solution with 
the Government of Vietnam, so CITA has concluded that approximately 
1,000,000 dozen should be deducted from the negotiated limits to 
address data discrepancies found by CBP. In accordance with Paragraph 
19(B) of the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Agreement, CITA is directing the 
Commissioner of CBP to adjust the limits for certain categories.
    In addition, previously applied flexibility is being readjusted to 
reflect the revised base levels.
    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 69 FR 4926, published on February 2, 2004). Also see 68 
FR 69673, published on December 15, 2003.

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

May 13, 2004.

Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC 20229
    Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel, 
the directive issued to you on December 10, 2003, by the Chairman, 
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That 
directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and man-made 
fiber textiles and textile products, produced or manufactured in 
Vietnam and exported during the twelve-month period which began on 
January 1, 2004 and extends through December 31, 2004.
    Effective on May 17, 2004, you are directed to adjust the limits 
for the following categories, as provided for under the terms of the 
current bilateral textile agreement between the Governments of the 
United States and Vietnam:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Category                        Restraint limit \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
334/335...................................  664,537 dozen.
338/339...................................  13,612,739 dozen.
340/640...................................  2,045,803 dozen.
341/641...................................  784,430 dozen.
342/642...................................  556,409 dozen.
345.......................................  293,408 dozen.
347/348...................................  6,909,409 dozen.
351/651...................................  491,804 dozen.
352/652...................................  1,873,677 dozen.
359-C/659-C \2\...........................  334,572 kilograms.
638/639...................................  1,229,457 dozen.
645/646...................................  198,793 dozen.
647/648...................................  1,999,245 dozen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports
  exported after December 31, 2003.

[[Page 27896]]

 
\2\ 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.

    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs 
exception to 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. 04-11213 Filed 5-13-04; 12:36 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S