[Federal Register: November 10, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 217)]
[Notices]
[Page 63770-63771]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10no03-25]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Announcement of Import Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels for
Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or
Manufactured in Costa Rica
November 4, 2003.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and
Border Protection establishing limits and guaranteed access levels.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 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.customs.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.
The import restraint limits and Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for
textile products, produced or manufactured in Costa Rica and exported
during the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004 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, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish
limits and guaranteed access levels for 2004.
These limits are subject to adjustment pursuant to the provisions
of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified to the Textiles
Monitoring Body. However, as the ATC and all restrictions thereunder
will terminate on January 1, 2005, no adjustment for carryforward
(borrowing from next year's limits for use in the current year) will be
available.
These specific limits and guaranteed access levels do not apply to
goods that qualify for quota-free entry under the Trade and Development
Act of 2000.
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 68 FR 1599, published on January 13, 2003). Information
regarding the availability of the 2004 CORRELATION will be published in
the Federal Register at a later date.
Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are
available in Federal Register notice 63 FR 16474, published on April 3,
1998.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 4, 2003.
Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, 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, 2004, entry into the United States for consumption and
withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-
made fiber textile products in the following categories, produced or
manufactured in Costa Rica and exported during the twelve-month
period beginning on January 1, 2004 and extending through December
31, 2004, in excess of the following restraint limits:
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Category Twelve-month limit
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340/640................................... 1,937,554 dozen.
342/642................................... 715,260 dozen.
347/348................................... 3,265,210 dozen.
443....................................... 239,454 numbers.
447....................................... 12,910 dozen.
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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 2003 shall be
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see
directive dated October 10, 2002) 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.
Also pursuant to the ATC, and under the terms of the Special
Access Program, as set forth in 63 FR 16474 (April 3, 1998), you are
directed to establish guaranteed access levels for properly
certified cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products in the
following categories which are assembled in Costa Rica from fabric
formed and cut in the United States and re-exported to the United
States from Costa Rica during the period beginning on January 1,
2004 and extending through December 31, 2004:
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Category Guaranteed access level
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340/640................................... 650,000 dozen.
342/642................................... 250,000 dozen.
347/348................................... 1,500,000 dozen.
443....................................... 200,000 numbers.
447....................................... 4,000 dozen.
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Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is
not accompanied by a valid and correct certification in accordance
with the provisions of the certification requirements established in
the directive of May 15, 1990 (55 FR 21074), as amended, shall be
denied entry unless the Government of Costa Rica authorizes the
entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limit. Any
shipment which is declared for entry under the Special Access
Program but found not to qualify shall be denied entry into the
United States.
These specific limits and guaranteed access levels do not apply
to goods that qualify for quota-free entry under the Trade and
Development Act of 2000.
In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner, Bureau
of Customs and Border Protection 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 U.S.C.553(a)(1).
Sincerely,
[[Page 63771]]
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 03-28172 Filed 11-7-03; 8:45 am]