[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 48 (Monday, March 11, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9637-9639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5683]
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[[Page 9638]]
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Customs Service
19 CFR Part 148
[T.D. 96-23]
Changes to Customs List of Designated Public International
Organizations: INTERPOL
AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This document amends the Customs Regulations by adding the
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to Customs list
of designated public international organizations entitled to certain
free entry privileges provided for under provisions of the
International Organizations Immunities Act.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 11, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Sequeira, Director,
International Organizations & Agreements Division, Office of
International Affairs (202) 927-1480.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The International Organizations Immunities Act, 22 U.S.C. 288,
generally provides that certain international organizations, agencies,
and committees, those in which the United States participates or
otherwise has an interest and which have been designated by the
President through appropriate Executive Order as public international
organizations, are entitled to enjoy certain privileges, exemptions,
and immunities conferred by the Act. The Department of State lists the
public international organizations, designated by the President as
entitled to enjoy any measure of the privileges, exemptions, and
immunities conferred by the Act, in the notes following the provisions
of Section 288.
One of the privileges provided for under the Act is that the
baggage and effects of alien officers, employees, and representatives--
and their families, suites, and servants--to the designated
organization, are admitted free of duty and without entry. The list of
designated organizations entitled to this duty-free entry privilege are
delineated at Sec. 148.87(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 148.87(b)).
Thus, the list of public international organizations maintained by
Customs is for the limited purpose of identifying those organizations
entitled to the duty-free entry privilege; it does not necessarily
include all of the international organizations that are on the list
maintained by the Department of State, which delineates all of the
international organizations designated by the President regardless of
the extent of the privileges conferred.
Executive Order (EO) 12425 of June 16, 1983, 48 FR 28069, 3 CFR
part 1983 Comp.p. 193, 19 Weekly Comp.Pres.Doc. 885, designated the
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) as a public
international organization with limited privileges; certain privileges,
such as duty-free customs entry and exemption from federal internal-
revenue importation taxes were not extended to INTERPOL. See T.D. 93-
45. Thus, INTERPOL was listed on the Department of State's list of
designated international organizations, but not Customs list. By EO
12971 of September 15, 1995, 60 FR 48617, 3 CFR part 1996 Comp.p. ____,
31 Weekly Comp.Pres.Doc. 1572, the President amended EO 12425 in order
to extend some of the privileges, exemptions, and immunities to
INTERPOL withheld by EO 12425; one being the privilege of duty-free
Customs entry. Accordingly, Customs is amending its list of designated
public international organizations at Sec. 148.87(b) of the Customs
Regulations (19 CFR 148.87(b)) to include INTERPOL.
Inapplicability of Public Notice and Comment Requirements, Delayed
Effective Date Requirements, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and
Executive Order 12866
Because this amendment merely corrects the listing of designated
organizations entitled by law to free entry privileges as public
international organizations, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), good cause
exists for dispensing with notice and public procedure thereon as
unnecessary. For the same reason, good cause exists for dispensing with
a delayed effective date under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1) and (3). Since this
document is not subject to the notice and public procedure requirements
of 5 U.S.C. 553, it is not subject to provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). This document does not meet the
criteria for a ``significant regulatory action'' as specified in E.O.
12866.
Drafting Information
The principal author of this document was Gregory R. Vilders,
Attorney, Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings.
List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 148
Customs duties and inspection, Executive orders, Foreign officials,
Government employees, International organizations, Privileges and
immunities, Taxes.
Amendment to the Regulations
For the reasons stated above, part 148, Customs Regulations (19 CFR
part 148), is amended as set forth below:
PART 148--PERSONAL DECLARATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS
1. The general authority citation for part 148 and the specific
authority citation for Sec. 148.87 continue to read as follows:
Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1496, 1498, 1624. The provisions of
this part, except for subpart C, are also issued under 19 U.S.C.
1202 (General Note 20, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States);
* * * * *
Section 148.87 also issued under 22 U.S.C. 288.
* * * * *
2. Section 148.87(b) is amended by adding the following, in
appropriate alphabetical order, to the table, to read as follows:
Sec. 148.87 Officers and employees of, and representatives to, public
international organizations.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
Executive
Organization order Date
* * * *
* * *
International Criminal Police Organization
(INTERPOL)--Limited privileges........... 12425 June 16, 1983.
12971 Sep. 15, 1995.
* * * *
* * *
[[Page 9639]]
George J. Weise,
Commissioner of Customs.
Approved: February 11, 1996.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 96-5683 Filed 3-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P