COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Shipments of Textile and Clothing Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage from Oman

January 30, 2001.

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


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending export visa requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 5, 2001.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roy Unger, International Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4212.


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 Uruguay Round Agreement of Textiles and Clothing provides for the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994. The second stage of the integration began on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, published May 1, 1995). In a Federal Register notice published on October 7, 1998 (63 FR 53881), the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) amended the export visa requirements to no longer require a visa for products integrated during the second stage of integration for products from members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Oman joined the WTO on November 9, 2000. In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to no longer require a visa for products integrated into GATT 1994 in the second stage from Oman entered on and after February 5, 2001.

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 65 FR 82328, published on December 28, 2000).

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 30, 2001.


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 World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, you are directed to amend the current visa requirements for textile and apparel products produced or manufactured in Oman that are entered into the United States on and after February 5, 2001, and that were integrated into GATT 1994 in the second stage of integration.

Effective on February 5, 2001, export visas no longer will be required for certain textile and apparel products from Oman.

Textile products subject to this directive are 229, 330, 349, 353, 354, 432, 439, 465, 630, 632, 653, 654, 665, 832, 839 and 899; and products in 239-babies garments, except diapers; 359, 459, 659 and 859-footwear; 369, 469 and 669-certain wadding and footwear; and 859-other silk blends and non-cotton vegetable fiber apparel. A complete list of products subject to this directive is attached to this letter.

Export visas will continue to be required for non-integrated products produced or manufactured in Oman.

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,

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.


ATTACHMENT


I.Part or Partial Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories, Except Diapers
Category1998 HTS
2396111201000
2396111202000
2396111203000
2396111204000
2396111205000
2396111206010
2396111206020
2396111206030
2396111206040
2396111301000
2396111302000
2396111303000
2396111304000
2396111305010
2396111305015
2396111305020
2396111305030
2396111305040
2396111901000
2396111902000
2396111903000
2396111904000
2396111905010
2396111905020
2396111905030
2396111905040
2396209201000
2396209202000
2396209203000
2396209205030
2396209205035
2396209205045
2396209205050
2396209301000
2396209302000
2396209303010
2396209303020
2396209303030
2396209303040
2396209901000
2396209902000
2396209903010
2396209903015
2396209903020
2396209903030
2396209903040
2396505901515
2396505902030
2396505905030
2396505906030
2396505907030
2396505908045


Footwear
Category1998 HTS
3596406991550
4596405206030
4596405206060
4596405206090
4596406991505
4596406991560
6596406991510
6596406991540
8596406991570


Certain Wadding and Footwear
Category1998 HTS
3695601101000
3695601210090
3695701901020
3695701902020
3695702109020
3695702392010
3695702491020
3695702491080
3695702591000
3695702991010
3695702991090
3695705002020
3696406107700
4695601290020
4695603941010
4696406109020
6695601102000
6695601220090
6695607493000
6695607504000
6696406109040


Other Silk Blend and Non-cotton Vegetable Fiber Apparel
Category1998 HTS
8596103292082
8596103498060
8596104292087
8596104292090
8596104698020
8596110909064
8596110909066
8596112202030
8596112390090
8596112490090
8596114909020
8596114909030
8596114909040
8596114909070
8596117809570
8596117909095
8596203293080
8596203498010
8596204294090
8596204294092
8596204696070
8596204699050
8596211118040
8596211128030
8596211204860
8596211207830
8596211399010
8596211399020
8596211399060
8596211399090
8596211499010
8596211499020
8596211499060
8596211499070
8596211499090
8596213102000
8596213902000
8596217109550
8596217909095
8596505901560
8596505902590
8596505909095
8596505909085


II.Whole Categories Integrated January 1, 1998
Category1998 HTS
229Special Purpose Fabric
330Handkerchiefs
349Brassieres and Other Body Supporting Garments
353Men's and Boys' Down-filled Coats
354Women's and Girls' Down-filled Coats
432Hosiery
439Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories
465Floor Coverings
630Handkerchiefs
632Hosiery
653Men's and Boys' Down-filled Coats
654Women's and Girls' Down-filled Coats
665Floor Coverings
832Hosiery
839Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories
899Other Silk and Vegetable Blend Manufactures


[FR Doc. 01-0000 Filed 0-00-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F