[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 70108-70109] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-33500] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS Announcement of Import Restraint Limits and Guaranteed Access Levels for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in El Salvador December 14, 1998. AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA). ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing import limits and guaranteed access levels. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999. 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 Quota Status Reports posted on the bulletin boards of each Customs port, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the U.S. Customs website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. 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 and Guaranteed Access Levels for textile products, produced or manufactured in El Salvador and exported during the periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 342/642) and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/ 640) are based on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) dated September 26, 1994 and July 18, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and El Salvador. In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish limits and guaranteed access levels for 1999. 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). Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date. Requirements for participation in the Special Access Program are available in Federal Register notice 63 FR 16474, published on April 3, 1998. Troy H. Cribb, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements December 14, 1998. 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; the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC); and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) dated September 26, 1996 and July 18, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and El Salvador, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton and man-made fiber textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in El Salvador and exported during the periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 342/642) and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/640), in excess of the following restraint limits: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Category Restraint limit ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 340/640................................... 1,229,436 dozen. 342/642................................... 90,388 dozen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 November 24, 1997) 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. Also pursuant to the ATC and Memoranda of Understanding dated September 26, 1994 [[Page 70109]] and July 18, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and El Salvador; and under the terms of the Special Access Program, as set forth in 63 FR 16474 (April 3, 1998), effective on January 1, 1999, guaranteed access levels are being established for properly certified textile products assembled in El Salvador from fabric formed and cut in the United States in the following categories which are re-exported to the United States from El Salvador during the periods January 1, 1999 through March 28, 1999 (Categories 342/ 642) and January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 (Categories 340/ 640): ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Category Guaranteed Access Level ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 340/640................................... 1,000,000 dozen. 342/642................................... 95,342 dozen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Any shipment for entry under the Special Access Program which is not accompanied by a valid and correct certification in accordance with the provisions of the certification requirements established in the directive of January 6, 1995, as amended, shall be denied entry unless the Government of El Salvador authorizes the entry and any charges to the appropriate specific limit. Any shipment which is declared for entry under the Special Access Program but found not to qualify shall be denied entry into the United States. 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, Troy H. Cribb, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. [FR Doc. 98-33500 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F