[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 21, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 3094-3095] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-1359] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS Amendment of Quota and Visa Requirements for Discharge Printed Fabric Produced or Manufactured in Egypt January 14, 1998. AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA). ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending quota and visa requirements. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EFFECTIVE DATE: January 22, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen L. LeGrande, 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, 1862, as amended. In exchange of notes dated December 3, 1997 and December 29, 1997, the Governments of the United States and Egypt agreed that discharge printed fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is produced or manufactured in Egypt and imported on or after January 1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements and will not be subject to 1998 limits. The new designation for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317, 317 and 326 will be part-category 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O, and 326-O, respectively. The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 remain the same for the newly established part-categories. Also effective on January 22, 1998, products in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326, produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported from Egypt on or after January 1, 1998 must be accompanied by a 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O part-category visa. There will be a grace period from January 1, 1998 through January 31, 1998 during which products exported from Egypt in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa. A visa will not be required for discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 beginning on January 1, 1998, regardless of the date of export. In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to amend the export quota and visa requirements. 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 52 FR 48857 published on December 28, 1987; 55 FR 49936, published on December 3, 1990; and 62 FR 67829, published on December 30, 1997. D. Michael Hutchinson, Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements January 14, 1998. Commissioner of Customs, Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229. Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel, the directive issued to you on December 22, 1997, by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products, produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported during the twelve-month period which began on January 1, 1998 and extends through December 31, 1998. Effective on January 22, 1998, discharge printed fabric classified in Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035, 5209.51.6032 (Category 313), 5209.51.6015 (Category 314), 5208.52.4055 (Category 315), 5208.59.2085 (Category 317), 5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015 (Category 326) which is produced or manufactured in Egypt and imported on or after January 1, 1998 will no longer be subject to visa requirements and will not be subject to 1998 limits, pursuant to exchange of notes dated December 3, 1997 and December 29, 1997 between the governments of the United States and Egypt. The new designation for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 will be Categories 313-O \1\, 314-O \2\, 315-O \3\, 317-O \4\ and 326-O \5\, respectively. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Category 313-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.3035, 5208.52.4035 and 5209.51.6032. \2\ Category 314-O: all HTS numbers except 5209.51.6015. \3\ Category 315-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.52.4055. \4\ Category 317-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2085. \5\ Category 326-O: all HTS numbers except 5208.59.2015, 5209.59.0015 and 5211.59.0015. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 1998 quota levels established for Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 remain the same for the newly established part- Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O. Also effective on January 22, 1998, you are directed to amend further the directive dated December 21, 1987 to require a part- category visa for Categories 313-O, 314-O, 315-O, 317-O and 326-O, produced or manufactured in Egypt and exported on or after January 1, 1998. There will be a grace period from January 1, 1998 through January 31, 1998 during which products exported from Egypt in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 may be accompanied by the whole or new part-category visa. A visa will not be required for discharge printed fabric in Categories 313, 314, 315, 317 and 326 beginning January 1, 1998, regardless of the date of export. Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this directive which [[Page 3095]] are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa shall be denied entry and a new visa must be obtained. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1). Sincerely, D. Michael Hutchinson, Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. [FR Doc. 98-1359 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F