[Federal Register: February 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 35)]
[Notices]
[Page 8783-8784]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe05-30]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Wool Textile
Products Produced or Manufactured in Ukraine and Reinstating Textile
Visa Requirements
February 17, 2005.
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 reinstating textile visa
requirements.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2005.
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 Bureau of Customs and Border Protection website
(http://www.cbp.gov), or call (202) 344-2650. 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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of July 22, 1998, as amended and
extended by exchange of notes on November 19, 2004, December 31, 2004,
and February 7, 2005, between the Governments of the United States and
Ukraine establishes limits for certain wool textile products, produced
or manufactured in Ukraine and exported during the period beginning on
January 1, 2005 and extending through December 31, 2005. Goods exported
from Ukraine will also no longer be subject to the notice and letter
concerning overshipments of 2004 limits (see 69 FR 72181, published on
December 13, 2004).
In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the
Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the
2005 limits. The letter also directs the Commissioner to reinstate
textile visa requirements for Ukraine; those requirements were
suspended in a notice and letter to the Commissioner dated December 30,
2004 (see 70 FR 793, published on January 5, 2005). These requirements
are set forth in the notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs
dated February 22, 1999 (see 64 FR 9477). In order to provide a period
for adjustment, the United States will allow shipments of goods that
are not accompanied by an export visa to enter the United States if
exported prior to March 25, 2005. However, shipments exported from
Ukraine on or after March 25, 2005, must be accompanied by an export
visa issued by the Government of Ukraine, and shipments without an
export visa will be denied entry.
These limits may be revised if Ukraine becomes a member of the
World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO
agreement to Ukraine.
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 69 FR 4926, published on February 2, 2004). Information
regarding the availability of the 2005 CORRELATION will be published in
the Federal Register at a later date.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
February 17, 2005.
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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of
July 22, 1998, as amended and extended by exchange of notes on
November 19, 2004, December 31, 2004, and February 7, 2005, between
the Governments of the United States and Ukraine, you are directed
to prohibit, effective on January 1, 2005, entry into the United
States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption
of wool textile products in the following categories, produced or
manufactured in Ukraine and exported during the twelve-month period
beginning on January 1, 2005 and extending through December 31,
2005, in excess of the following levels of restraint:
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Category Twelve-month limit
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435....................................... 108,000 dozen.
442....................................... 17,230 dozen.
444....................................... 74,665 numbers.
448....................................... 74,665 dozen.
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The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to
the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the
United States and Ukraine.
These limits may be revised if Ukraine becomes a member of the
World Trade
[[Page 8784]]
Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement
to Ukraine.
Products in the above categories exported during 2004 shall be
charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see
directive dated December 10, 2003) 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. Goods exported from
Ukraine will also no longer be subject to the directive dated
December 9, 2004 concerning overshipments of 2004 limits.
You are also directed to reinstate textile visa requirements for
Ukraine, as set forth in the directive dated February 22, 1999, thus
canceling the directive dated December 30, 2004 that suspended such
requirements. In order to provide a period for adjustment, the
United States will allow shipments of goods that are not accompanied
by an export visa to enter the United States if exported prior to
March 25, 2005. However, shipments exported from Ukraine on or after
March 25, 2005, must be accompanied by an export visa issued by the
Government of Ukraine, and shipments without an export visa will be
denied entry.
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 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
Sincerely,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. E5-740 Filed 2-22-05; 8:45 am]