[Federal Register: November 12, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 218)]
[Notices]               
[Page 68566-68568]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12no02-40]                         


[[Page 68566]]

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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

 
Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool, 
Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and 
Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Hong Kong

November 1, 2002.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing 
limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2003.

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 U.S. Customs 
Web site at http://www.customs.gov. For information on embargoes and 
quota re-openings, refer to the Office of Textiles and Apparel Web site 
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.
    The import restraint limits for textile products, produced or 
manufactured in Hong Kong and exported during the period January 1, 
2003 through December 31, 2003 are based on limits notified to the 
Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the 
Commissioner of Customs to establish the 2003 limits. These limits have 
been increased, variously, for adjustments permitted under the 
flexibility provisions of the ATC.
    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 66 FR 65178, published on December 18, 2001). 
Information regarding the 2003 CORRELATION will be published in the 
Federal Register

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 1, 2002.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, 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; and the Uruguay Round Agreement on 
Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective 
on January 1, 2003, entry into the United States for consumption and 
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made 
fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile 
products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in 
Hong Kong and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on 
January 1, 2003 and extending through December 31, 2003, in excess 
of the following levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Category                   Twelve-month restraint limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group I                                  ...............................
200-220, 224-227, 300-326, 360-363,      178,690,196 square meters
 369(1) \1\, 369pt. \2\, 400-414,         equivalent.
 469pt. \3\, 603, 604, 611-620, 624-629
 and 666pt. \4\, as a group.
Sublevels in Group I                     ...............................
219....................................  51,433,276 square meters.
218/225/317/326........................  83,245,323 square meters of
                                          which not more than 4,584,827
                                          square meters shall be in
                                          Category 218(1) \5\ (yarn dyed
                                          fabric other than denim and
                                          jacquard).
611....................................  8,109,150 square meters.
617....................................  5,116,304 square meters.
Group I subgroup                         ...............................
200, 226/313, 314, 315, 369(1) and 604,  138,862,672 square meters
 as a group.                              equivalent.
Within Group I subgroup                  ...............................
200....................................  443,437 kilograms.
226/313................................  92,260,253 square meters.
314....................................  24,881,483 square meters
315....................................  12,301,489 square meters.
369(1) (shoptowels)....................  1,010,932 kilograms.
604....................................  304,390 kilograms.
Group II                                 ...............................
237, 239pt. \6\, 331pt. \7\ 332-348,     924,191,267 square meters
 351, 352, 359(1) \8\, 359(2) \9\,        equivalent.
 359pt. \10\, 433-438, 440-448, 459pt.
 \11\, 631pt. \12\ 633-648, 651, 652,
 659(1) \13\, 659(2) \14\, 659pt. \15\,
 and 443/444/643/644(1), as a group.
Sublevels in Group II                    ...............................
237....................................  1,487,311 dozen.
331pt..................................  1,626,292 dozen pairs.
333/334................................  344,393 dozen.
335....................................  358,846 dozen.
338/339 \16\ (shirts and blouses other   3,050,082 dozen.
 than tank tops and tops, knit).
338/339(1) \17\ (tank tops and knit      2,291,542 dozen.
 tops).
340....................................  2,920,774 dozen.
345....................................  523,875 dozen.
347/348................................  7,071,512 dozen of which not
                                          more than 6,981,512 dozen
                                          shall be in Categories 347-W/
                                          348-W \18\; and not more than
                                          5,290,853 dozen shall be in
                                          Category 348-W.
352....................................  8,748,166 dozen.
359(1) (coveralls, overalls and          739,225 kilograms.
 jumpsuits).
359(2) (vests).........................  1,540,699 kilograms.
433....................................  11,382 dozen.

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434....................................  12,218 dozen.
435....................................  80,296 dozen.
436....................................  104,582 dozen.
438....................................  858,904 dozen.
442....................................  100,952 dozen.
443....................................  65,983 numbers.
444....................................  45,713 numbers.
445/446................................  1,419,653 dozen.
447/448................................  71,394 dozen.
631pt..................................  152,225 dozen pairs.
633/634/635............................  1,544,776 dozen of which not
                                          more than 577,781 dozen shall
                                          be in Categories 633/634; and
                                          not more than 1,186,214 dozen
                                          shall be in Category 635.
638/639................................  5,120,455 dozen.
641....................................  884,792 dozen.
644....................................  55,989 numbers.
645/646................................  1,403,421 dozen.
647....................................  686,688 dozen.
648....................................  1,272,594 dozen of which not
                                          more than 1,257,804 dozen
                                          shall be in Category 648-W
                                          \19\
652....................................  5,948,825 dozen.
659(1) (coveralls, overalls and          817,038 kilograms.
 jumpsuits).
659(2) (swimsuits).....................  349,125 kilograms.
443/444/643/644(1) (made-to-measure      63,253 numbers.
 suits).
Group II subgroup                        ...............................
336, 341, 342, 351, 636, 640, 642 and    169,590,921 square meters
 651, as a group.                         equivalent.
Within Group II subgroup                 ...............................
336....................................  287,260 dozen.
341....................................  2,956,496 dozen.
342....................................  640,371 dozen.
351....................................  1,248,690 dozen.
636....................................  386,602 dozen.
640....................................  1,151,190 dozen.
642....................................  307,440 dozen.
651....................................  418,680 dozen.
Group III-only 852.....................  11,010,779 square meters
                                          equivalent.
Limits not in a group                    ...............................
845(1) \20\ (sweaters made in Hong       1,138,569 dozen.
 Kong).
845(2) \21\ (sweaters assembled in Hong  2,725,300 dozen.
 Kong from knit-to-shape components,
 knit elsewhere).
846(1) \22\ (sweaters made in Hong       184,117 dozen.
 Kong).
846(2) \23\ (sweaters assembled in Hong  443,653 dozen.
 Kong from knit-to-shape components,
 knit elsewhere).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Category 369(1): only HTS number 6307.10.2005.
\2\ Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020,
  4202.12.8060, 4202.22.4020, 4202.22.4500, 4202.22.8030, 4202.32.4000,
  4202.32.9530, 4202.92.0505, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091,
  5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090, 5701.90.1020, 5701.90.2020, 5702.10.9020,
  5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020, 5702.49.1080, 5702.59.1000, 5702.99.1010,
  5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020, 5805.00.3000, 5807.10.0510, 5807.90.0510,
  6301.30.0010, 6301.30.0020, 6302,51.1000, 6302.51.2000, 6302.51.3000,
  6302.51.4000, 6302.60.0010, 6302.60.0030, 6302.91.0005, 6302.91.0025,
  6302.91.0045, 6302.91.0050, 6302.91.0060, 6303.11.0000, 6303.91.0010,
  6303.91.0020, 6304.91.0020, 6304.92.0000, 6305.20.0000, 6306.11.0000,
  6307.10.1020, 6307.10.1090, 6307.90.3010, 6307.90.4010, 6307.90.5010,
  6307.90.8910, 6307.90.8945, 6307.90.9882, 6406.10.7700, 9404.90.1000,
  9404.90.8040, 9404.90.9505 and HTS number in 369(1).
\3\ Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010,
  6304.19.3040, 6304.91.0050, 6304.99.1500, 6304.99.6010, 6308.00.0010
  and 6406.10.9020.
\4\ Category 666pt.: all HTS numbers except 5805.00.4010, 6301.10.0000,
  6301.40.0010, 6301.40.0020, 6301.90.0010, 6302.53.0010, 6302.53.0020,
  6302.53.0030, 6302.93.1000, 6302.93.2000, 6303.12.0000, 6303.19.0010,
  6303.92.1000, 6303.92.2010, 6303.92.2020, 6303.99.0010, 6304.11.2000,
  6304.19.1500, 6304.19.2000, 6304.91.0040, 6304.93.0000, 6304.99.6020,
  6307.90.9884, 9404.90.8522 and 9404.90.9522.
\5\ Category 218(1): all HTS numbers except 5209.42.0060, 5209.42.0080,
  5211.42.0060, 5211.42.0080, 5514.32.0015 and 5516.43.0015.
\6\ Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).
\7\ Category 331pt.: all HTS numbers except 6116.10.1720, 6116.10.4810,
  6116.10.5510, 6116.10.7510, 6116.92.6410, 6116.92.6420, 6116.92.6430,
  6116.92.6440, 6116.92.7450, 6116.92.7460, 6116.92.7470, 6116.92.8800,
  6116.92.9400 and 6116.99.9510.
\8\ Category 359(1): 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.
\9\ Category 359(2): only HTS numbers 6103.19.2030, 6103.19.9030,
  6104.12.0040, 6104.19.8040, 6110.20.1022, 6110.20.1024, 6110.20.2030,
  6110.20.2035, 6110.90.9044, 6110.90.9046, 6201.92.2010, 6202.92.2020,
  6203.19.1030, 6203.19.9030, 6204.12.0040, 6204.19.8040, 6211.32.0070
  and 6211.42.0070.
\10\ Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6115.19.8010, 6117.10.6010,
  6117.20.9010, 6203.22.1000, 6204.22.1000, 6212.90.0010, 6214.90.0010,
  6406.99.1550, 6505.90.1525, 6505.90.1540, 6505.90.2060, 6505.90.2545
  and HTS numbers in 359(1) and 359(2).
\11\ Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6115.19.8020, 6117.10.1000,
  6117.10.2010, 6117.20.9020, 6212.90.0020, 6214.20.0000, 6405.20.6030,
  6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505, 6406.99.1560.
\12\ Category 631pt.: all HTS numbers except 6116.10.1730, 6116.10.4820,
  6116.10.5520, 6116.10.7520, 6116.93.8800, 6116.93.9400, 6116.99.4800,
  6116.99.5400 and 6116.99.9530.
\13\ Category 659(1): 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.

[[Page 68568]]


\14\ Category 659(2): only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020,
  6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010,
  6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.
\15\ Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except 6115.11.0010, 6115.12.2000,
  6117.10.2030, 6117.20.9030, 6212.90.0030, 6214.30.0000, 6214.40.0000,
  6406.99.1510, 6406.99.1540 and HTS numbers in 659(1) and 659(2).
\16\ Categories 338/339: all HTS numbers except 6109.10.0018,
  6109.10.0023, 6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and
  6114.20.0010.
\17\ Category 338/339(1): only HTS numbers 6109.10.0018, 6109.10.0023,
  6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and 6114.20.0010.
\18\ Category 347-W: only HTS numbers 6203.19.1020, 6203.19.9020,
  6203.22.3020, 6203.22.3030, 6203.42.4005, 6203.42.4010, 6203.42.4015,
  6203.42.4025, 6203.42.4035, 6203.42.4045, 6203.42.4050, 6203.42.4060,
  6203.49.8020, 6210.40.9033, 6211.20.1520, 6211.20.3810 and
  6211.32.0040; Category 348-W: only HTS numbers 6204.12.0030,
  6204.19.8030, 6204.22.3040, 6204.22.3050, 6204.29.4034, 6204.62.3000,
  6204.62.4005, 6204.62.4010, 6204.62.4020, 6204.62.4030, 6204.62.4040,
  6204.62.4050, 6204.62.4055, 6204.62.4065, 6204.69.6010, 6204.69.9010,
  6210.50.9060, 6211.20.1550, 6211.20.6810, 6211.42.0030 and
  6217.90.9050.
\19\ Category 648-W: only HTS numbers 6204.23.0040, 6204.23.0045,
  6204.29.2020, 6204.29.2025, 6204.29.4038, 6204.63.2000, 6204.63.3000,
  6204.63.3510, 6204.63.3530, 6204.63.3532, 6204.63.3540, 6204.69.2510,
  6204.69.2530, 6204.69.2540, 6204.69.2560, 6204.69.6030, 6204.69.9030,
  6210.50.5035, 6211.20.1555, 6211.20.6820, 6211.43.0040 and
  6217.90.9060.
\20\ Category 845(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2074, 6104.29.2079,
  6110.90.9024, 6110.90.9042 and 6117.90.9015.
\21\ Category 845(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2070, 6104.29.2077,
  6110.90.9022 and 6110.90.9040.
\22\ Category 846(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2068, 6104.29.2075,
  6110.90.9020 and 6110.90.9038.
\23\ Category 846(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2066, 6104.29.2073,
  6110.90.9018 and 6110.90.9036.

    The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to 
the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified 
to the Textiles Monitoring Body.
    Products in the above categories exported during 2002 shall be 
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see 
directive dated November 29, 2001) to the extent of any unfilled 
balances. In the event the limits established for that period have 
been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged 
to the limits set forth in this directive.
    The conversion factors for merged Categories 333/334, 633/634/
635 and 638/639 are 33, 33.90 and 13, respectively. The conversion 
factor for Category 239pt. is 8.79.
    In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner of 
Customs 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 these actions fall 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. 02-28628 Filed 11-8-02; 8:45 am]