COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

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

December 22, 1997.

AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).


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

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1998.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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 or call (202) 927-5850. For information on embargoes and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.


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, 1998 through December 31, 1998 are based on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).

Pursuant to the provisions of the ATC, the second stage of the integration commences on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, published on May 1, 1995). Accordingly, certain previously restrained categories may have been modified or eliminated and certain limits may have been revised. Integrated products will no longer be subject to quota. CITA has informed Hong Kong of its intent to continue the bilateral visa arrangement for those products.





In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1998 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 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997). Also see 62 FR 51832, published on October 3, 1997.

J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.



Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 22, 1997.


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, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, 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, 1998 and extending through December 31, 1998, in excess of the following levels of restraint:


CategoryTwelve-month restraint limit
Group I
200-227, 300-326, 360-363, 369(1)1, 369pt.2, 400-414, 464, 469pt.3, 600-629, 666, 669pt.4 and 670, as a group242,056,022 square meters equivalent.
Sublevels in Group I
21942,243,126 square meters.
218/225/317/32673,902,425 square meters of which not more than 4,070,257 square meters shall be in Category 218(1)5(yarn dyed fabric other than denim and jacquard).
6116,660,198 square meters.
6174,202,118 square meters.
Group I subgroup
200, 226/313, 314, 315, 369(1) and 604, as a group112,565,729 square meters equivalent.
Within Group I subgroup
200364,204 kilograms.
226/31375,775,098 square meters.
31420,435,635 square meters
31510,103,447 square meters.
369(1)(shoptowels)830,299 kilograms.
604250,001 kilograms.
Group II
237, 239pt.6, 331-348, 350-352, 359(1)7, 359(2)8, 359pt.9, 431, 433-438, 440-448, 459pt.10, 631, 633-652, 659(1)11, 659(2)12, 659pt.13, and 443/444/643/644/843/844(1), as a group834,051,359 square meters equivalent.
Sublevels in Group II
2371,221,557 dozen.
3314,274,499 dozen pairs.
333/334305,741 dozen.
335344,774 dozen.
338/33914(shirts and blouses other than tank tops and tops, knit)2,930,479 dozen.
338/339(1)15(tank tops and knit tops)2,201,684 dozen.
3402,806,243 dozen.
345465,080 dozen.
347/3486,797,746 dozen of which not more than 6,707,746 dozen shall be in Categories 347-W/348-W16; not more than 5,083,385 dozen shall be in Category 348-W.
3527,185,033 dozen.
359(1)(coveralls, overalls and jumpsuits)631,126 kilograms.
359(2)(vests)1,315,396 kilograms.
43310,510 dozen.
43411,283 dozen.
43577,147 dozen.
436100,479 dozen.
438825,224 dozen.
44293,221 dozen.
44363,395 numbers.
44442,211 numbers.
445/4461,363,985 dozen.
447/44868,594 dozen.
631677,981 dozen pairs.
633/634/6351,371,401 dozen of which not more than 512,934 dozen shall be in Categories 633/634 and not more than 1,053,082 dozen shall be in Category 635.
638/6394,919,668 dozen.
641850,098 dozen.
64445,985 numbers.
645/6461,348,388 dozen.
647563,990 dozen.
6481,176,258 dozen of which not more than 1,161,468 dozen shall be in Category 648-W17.
649868,319 dozen.
650179,565 dozen.
6525,078,903 dozen.
659(1)(coveralls, overalls and jumpsuits)697,559 kilograms.
659(2)(swimsuits)286,743 kilograms.
443/444/643/644/843/844(1)(made-to-measure suits)58,408 numbers.
Group II subgroup
336, 341, 342, 350, 351, 636, 640, 642 and 651, as a group159,010,659 square meters equivalent.
Within Group II subgroup
336235,932 dozen.
3412,840,564 dozen.
342568,500 dozen.
350141,744 dozen.
3511,199,726 dozen.
636317,522 dozen.
640982,847 dozen.
642252,506 dozen.
651343,870 dozen.
Group III
831, 833-838, 840-844, 847-858 and 859pt.18, as a group45,395,915 square meters equivalent.
Sublevels in Group III
83412,922 dozen.
835114,777 dozen.
836169,543 dozen.
840681,791 dozen.
842267,161 dozen.
847366,146 dozen.
Limits not in a group
845(1)19(sweaters made in Hong Kong)1,129,466 dozen.
845(2)20(sweaters assembled in Hong Kong from knit-to shape components, knit elsewhere)2,703,514 dozen.
846(1)21(sweaters made in Hong Kong)182,645 dozen.
846(2)22(sweaters assembled in Hong Kong from knit-to shape components, knit elsewhere)440,107 dozen.
1Category 369(1): only HTS number 6307.10.2005.
2Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 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, 6406.10.7700 and HTS number in 369(1).
3Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010 and 6406.10.9020.
4Category 669pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.10.2000, 5601.22.0090, 5607.49.3000, 5607.50.4000 and 6406.10.9040.
5Category 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.
6Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).
7Category 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.
8Category 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.
9Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6406.99.1550 and HTS numbers in 359(1) and 359(2).
10Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560.
11Category 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.
12Category 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.
13Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except 6406.99.1510, 6406.99.1540 and HTS numbers in 659(1) and 659(2).
14Categories 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.
15Category 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.
16Category 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.
17Category 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.
18Category 859pt.: only HTS numbers 6115.19.8040, 6117.10.6020, 6212.10.5030, 6212.10.9040, 6212.20.0030, 6212.30.0030, 6212.90.0090, 6214.10.2000 and 6214.90.0090.
19Category 845(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2074, 6104.29.2079, 6110.90.9024, 6110.90.9042 and 6117.90.9015.
20Category 845(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2070, 6104.29.2077, 6110.90.9022 and 6110.90.9040.
21Category 846(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2068, 6104.29.2075, 6110.90.9020 and 6110.90.9038.
22Category 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 1997 shall be charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see directive dated December 5, 1996) 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.

Products for integration in 1998 listed in the Federal Register notice published on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21075) which are exported during 1997 shall be charged to the applicable limits to the extent of any unfilled balances. After January 1, 1998, should those unfilled balances be exhausted, such products shall no longer be charged to any limit, due to integration of these products into GATT 1994.

CITA has informed Hong Kong of its intent to continue the bilateral visa arrangement for those products. An export visa will continue to be required, if applicable, for products integrated on and after January 1, 1998, before entry is permitted into the United States.

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,

J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 97-0000 Filed 0-00-97; 8:45 am]
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