[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67992-67993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22426]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Establishment of an Import Level and Staged Entry Procedures for 
Shipments of Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Socks (Categories 332/432/
632 part) Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

November 4, 2005.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Directive to Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: November 1, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

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.
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to establish the 
following import level and staged entry procedures.
    Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding, signed and dated

[[Page 67993]]

November 1, 2005, between the Governments of the United States and the 
People's Republic of China, the Government of the United States is 
controlling imports of Chinese-origin cotton, wool and man-made fiber 
socks (Categories 332/432/632 part) exported from China during the 
period from November 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005,at a level of 
10,298,023 dozen pairs. This agreed level which was reached on November 
1, 2005, as a result of consultations between the Government of the 
United States and the People's Republic of China, under the provisions 
of Paragraph 242 of the Report of the Working Party for the Accession 
of China to the World Trade Organization, concerns trade in Chinese-
origin cotton, wool and man-made fiber socks. There is no requirement 
for a textile visa or for an Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) 
transmission for entry of these products.
    Consistent with previously established practice for restraints 
established under paragraph 242 of the Report of the Working Party for 
the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization, shipments in 
excess of this agreed level will be subject to delayed and staged 
entry. Specifically, shipments in excess of this level will not be 
allowed entry prior to February 1, 2006, at which time, shipments 
totaling no more than 5 percent of this quota (514,901 dozen pairs) 
will be allowed entry for the month. An additional 5 percent will be 
allowed entry each succeeding month until all overshipments are allowed 
entry.
    Shipments in excess of the safeguard limit for socks exported from 
China during the period of October 29, 2004 through October 28, 2005 
remain subject to the staged entry quota and procedures established in 
a notice and letter to the Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection, published in the Federal Register. See 70 FR 21399 (April 
26, 2005). This is separate from the agreed level and staged entry 
level for goods exported from China during the period of November 1, 
2005 through December 31, 2005.

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 4, 2005.

Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC 20229.
    Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding 
between the Governments of the United States of America and the 
People's Republic of China, concerning exports to the United States 
of socks during the period from November 1, 2005 through December 
31, 2005, you are directed to prohibit, effective November 1, 2005, 
entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from 
warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-made fiber socks 
in Category 332/432/632 part, produced or manufactured in the 
People's Republic of China, during the two month period beginning on 
November 1, 2005 and extending through December 31, 2005 in excess 
of 10,298,023 dozen pairs \1\. Products which have been exported 
from China prior to November 1, 2005, shall not be subject to the 
limit established in this directive.
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    \1\ Category 632 Part; Socks: only HTS numbers 6115.93.6020, 
6115.93.9020, 6115.99.1420 and 6115.99.1820
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    In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner 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).
    This directive also provides instructions on permitting entry of 
goods shipped in excess of the agreed level on socks in categories 
332/432/632 part, which covers goods exported from China during the 
period of November 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005. For all 
shipments exported from China that exceed that level, you are 
directed to deny entry until February 1, 2006, subject to the 
following procedure. From February 1 through February 28, 2006, you 
are directed to permit entry of goods in an amount equal to 5 
percent (514,901 dozen pairs) of the agreed level of 10,298,023 
dozen pairs. For each succeeding period, beginning on the first of 
the month, and extending through the last day of the month, you are 
to permit entry of goods in an amount equal to 514,901 dozen pairs 
until all shipments in excess of the agreed level have been entered.
    The following clarifies the precise quantity to be allowed entry 
each month for staged entry of overshipments of the safeguard which 
covered exports from China during the period of October 29, 2004 
through October 28, 2005. The agreed level and staged entry 
procedures for goods exported from China during the period from 
November 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 do not affect goods 
shipped in excess of the safeguard limit on socks which covered 
exports from China during the period of October 29, 2004 through 
October 28, 2005, which remain subject to the staged entry 
procedures which were set forth in a separate directive, dated April 
26, 2005. That directive provided that shipments in excess of the 
limit for the period of October 29, 2004 through October 28, 2005 
will be denied entry until November 29, 2005, and at that time no 
more than 5 percent (2,121,700 dozen pairs) will be allowed entry 
from the period of November 29, 2005 through December 28, 2005. For 
each succeeding period, beginning on the 29th of the month, and 
extending through the 28th of the following month, you are directed 
to permit entry of goods in an amount equal to 2,121,700 dozen 
pairs, until all shipments in excess of the safeguard limit which 
covered exports from China during the period of October 29, 2004 
through October 28, 2005 have been entered.
    The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has 
determined that this action falls 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.05-22426 Filed 11-4-05; 4:50 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS