[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 10652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1967]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Docket No. 990813222-0035-03]
RIN 0625-AA55


Allocation of Duty-Exemptions for Calendar Year 2006 Among Watch 
Producers Located in the United States Virgin Islands

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce; Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action allocates calendar year 2006 duty exemptions for 
watch producers located in the Virgin Islands pursuant to Pub. L. 97-
446, as amended by Pub. L. 103-465, Pub. L 106-36 and Pub. L. 108-429 
(``the Act'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Faye Robinson, (202) 482-3526.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Act, the Departments of the 
Interior and Commerce (the Departments) share responsibility for the 
allocation of duty exemptions among watch assembly firms in the United 
States insular possessions and the Northern Mariana Islands. In 
accordance with Section 303.3(a) of the regulations (15 CFR 303.3(a)), 
the total quantity of duty-free insular watches and watch movements for 
calendar year 2006 is 1,866,000 units for the Virgin Islands (65 FR 
8048, February 17, 2000).
    The criteria for the calculation of the calendar year 2006 duty-
exemption allocations among insular producers are set forth in Section 
303.14 of the regulations (15 CFR 303.14).
    The Departments have verified and adjusted the data submitted on 
application form ITA-334P by Virgin Islands producers and inspected 
their current operations in accordance with Section 303.5 of the 
regulations (15 CFR 303.5).
    In calendar year 2005 the Virgin Islands watch assembly firms 
shipped 266,607 watches and watch movements into the customs territory 
of the United States under the Act. The dollar amount of creditable 
corporate income taxes paid by Virgin Islands producers during calendar 
year 2005 plus the creditable wages paid by the industry during 
calendar year 2005 to residents of the territory was $2,079,543.
    There are no producers in Guam, American Samoa or the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
    The calendar year 2006 Virgin Islands annual allocations, based on 
the data verified by the Departments, are as follows:

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                                                              Annual
                      Name of firm                          allocation
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Belair Quartz, Inc......................................         500,000
Hampden Watch Co., Inc..................................         200,000
Goldex Inc..............................................          50,000
Tropex, Inc.............................................         300,000
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    The balance of the units allocated to the Virgin Islands is 
available for new entrants into the program or producers who request a 
supplement to their allocation.

Joseph A. Spetrini,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Department of 
Commerce.
Nikolao Pula,
Director for Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 06-1967 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P; 4310-93-P