COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Extension of Temporary Amendment to the Requirements for Participating in the Special Access Progam for Caribbean Basin Countries


September 15, 1997.

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


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs extending amendment of requirements for participation in the Special Access Program for a temporary period.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 23, 1997.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3400.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:


Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended; section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854).


A notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs published in the Federal Register on September 20, 1996 (61 FR 49439) announced the temporary amendment to the foreign origin exception for findings and trimmings under the Special Access Program. By date of export, the foreign origin exception for findings and trimmings, including elastic strips of less than one inch in width, under the Special Access Program were temporarily amended to include non-U.S. formed, U.S. cut interlinings for the period September 23, 1996 through September 22, 1997 for men's and boys' suit jackets and suit-type jackets in Categories 433, 443, 633 and 643. In the aggregate, such interlinings, findings and trimmings must not exceed 25 percent of the cost of the components of the assembled article. This amendment is being extended for a six-month period beginning on September 23, 1997 and extending through March 22, 1998 for men's and boys' suit jackets and suit-type jackets in Categories 433, 443, 633 and 643 entered under the Special Access Program (9802.00.8015) provided they are cut in the United States and are of a type described below:

(1) A chest type plate, ``hymo'' piece or ``sleeve header'' of woven or welf-inserted warp knit construction of coarse animal hair or man-made filaments used in the manufacture of men's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets;

(2) A weft-inserted warp knit fabric which contains and exhibits properties of elasticity and resilience which render the fabric especially suitable for attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coat-front, side body or back of men's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets.

(3) A woven fabric which contains and exhibits properties of resiliency which render the fabric especially suitable for attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coatfront, side body or back of men's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets.

Troy H. Cribb,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.


Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
September 15, 1997.


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 September 16, 1996, by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive concerns the foreign origin exception for findings and trimmings under the Special Access Program.

Effective on September 23, 1997, by date of export, you are directed to extend, for the six-month period September 23, 1997 through March 22, 1998, the amendment to treat non-U.S. formed, U.S.-cut interlinings, further described below, for men's and boys' wool and man-made fiber suit jackets and suit-type jackets in Categories 433, 443, 633 and 643 as qualifying for the exception for findings and trimmings, including elastic strips less than one inch in width, created under the Special Access Program established effective September 1, 1986 (see 51 FR 21208). In the aggregate, such interlinings, findings and trimmings must not exceed 25 percent of the cost of the components of the assembled article.


The amendment implemented by this directive shall be of a temporary nature. The amendment will terminate on March 22, 1998, by date of export.

As described above, non-U.S. formed, U.S.-cut interlinings may be used in imports of men's or boys' suit jackets and suittype jackets entered under the Special Access Program (9802.00.8015) provided they are cut in the United States and of a type described below:
(1) A chest plate, ``hymo'' piece or ``sleeve header'' of woven or weft-inserted warp knit construction of coarse animal hair or man-made filaments used in the manufacture of nen's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets;

(2) A weft-inserted warp knit fabric which contains and exhibits properties of elasticity and resilience which render the fabric especially suitable for attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coat-front, side body or back of men's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets.

(3) A woven fabric which contains and exhibits properties of resiliency which render the fabric especially suitable for attachment by fusing with a thermo-plastic adhesive to the coatfront, side body or back of men's or boys' tailored suit jackets and suit-type jackets.



The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has determined that this action falls 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. 97-0000 Filed 0-00-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F