[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 183 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55205-55206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7882]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection


General Program Test Extended: Quota Preprocessing

AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection; Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: With this notice, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP) announces that the duration of the quota preprocessing program 
test, which provides for the electronic processing of certain quota-
class apparel merchandise prior to arrival of the importing carrier, is 
extended until December 31, 2008. The quota preprocessing program test 
is currently being conducted at all CBP ports and was set to expire on 
December 31, 2006. The duration of the test is being extended so that 
CBP can continue to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Public 
comments concerning any aspect of the program test as well as 
applications to participate in the test are requested.

DATES: The program test is extended to run until December 31, 2008. 
Applications to participate in the test and comments concerning the 
test will continue to be accepted throughout the testing period.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding this notice or any aspect of the 
program test should be addressed to Christine Kegley, Quota Enforcement 
and Administration, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, 1300 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 5.3-D, Washington, DC 20229, or may be 
sent via e-mail to [email protected]. An application to participate in 
the program test must be sent to the CBP port(s) (Attention: Program 
Coordinator for Quota Preprocessing) where the applicant intends to 
submit quota entries for preprocessing. Information on CBP port 
addresses may be obtained from the CBP Web site at http://www.cbp.gov 
(Office Locations).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Kegley, Quota Enforcement 
and Administration, 202-344-2319.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On July 24, 1998, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published a general notice in the Federal Register (63 FR 39929) 
announcing the limited testing of a new operational procedure regarding 
the electronic processing of quota-class apparel merchandise. The test, 
authorized under Sec.  101.9(a), CBP Regulations (19 CFR 101.9(a)), was 
commenced on September 15, 1998, at two ports. Quota preprocessing 
permits certain quota entries (merchandise classifiable in chapter 61 
or 62 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)) 
to be filed, reviewed for admissibility, and to have their quota 
priority and status determined by CBP prior to arrival of the carrier, 
similar to the method of preliminary review by which non-quota entries 
are currently processed. The purpose of quota preprocessing is to 
reduce CBP processing time for qualified quota entries and to expedite 
the release of the subject merchandise to the importer. To this end, 
participants in the quota preprocessing test have been allowed to 
submit quota entries to CBP up to 5 days prior to vessel arrival or 
after the wheels are up on air shipments. The July 24, 1998, Federal 
Register notice described the new procedure, specified the eligibility 
and application requirements for participation in the program test, and 
noted the acts of misconduct for which a participant in the test could 
be suspended and disqualified from continued participation in the 
program. The test was scheduled to continue for a six-month period that 
expired on March 14, 1999.
    On March 25, 1999, January 6, 2000, and November 30, 2000, CBP 
published general notices in the Federal Register (64 FR 14499, 65 FR 
806, and 65 FR 71356, respectively) that extended the program test 
through December 31, 2002. These extensions of the test procedure were 
undertaken so that CBP could further evaluate the effectiveness of the 
program and determine whether the program test should be expanded to 
other ports. By a notice published in the Federal Register (66 FR 
66018) on December 21, 2001, the test was expanded to a selected number 
of additional ports in order to enable CBP to continue to study the 
program's effectiveness and determine whether the program should be 
established nationwide on a permanent basis.
    The expansion of the test to the additional 15 ports was determined 
by the volume of quota lines of apparel merchandise entered at these 
ports. By a notice published in the Federal Register (67 FR 57271) on 
September 9, 2002, CBP expanded the test to all CBP ports effective as 
of October 9, 2002, and extended the duration of the program test until 
December 31, 2004. CBP further extended the duration of the test until 
December 31, 2006, by a notice published in the Federal Register (70 FR 
1732) on January 10, 2005.

[[Page 55206]]

    The duration of the test is now being further extended so that CBP 
can continue to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Prospective 
applicants may consult the July 24,1998 and December 21, 2001, Federal 
Register notices for a more detailed discussion of the quota 
preprocessing program and the September 9, 2002, Federal Register 
notice for eligibility criteria. All requirements and aspects of the 
quota preprocessing test, as set forth in these notices, continue to 
apply.

    Dated: September 18, 2006.
Jayson P. Ahern,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 06-7882 Filed 9-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P