COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Indonesia

December 19, 1997.

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


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing limits.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1998.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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 or call (202) 927-5850. 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 for textile products, produced or manufactured in Indonesia and exported during the period January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998 are based on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated November 1, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and Indonesia.
Pursuant to the provisions of the ATC, the second stage of the integration commences on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, published on May 1, 1995). Accordingly, certain previously restrained categories may have been modified or eliminated and certain limits may have been revised. Integrated products will no longer be subject to quota. CITA has informed Indonesia of its intent to continue the bilateral visa arrangement for those products.



In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1998 limits.
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 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 1996). Also see 62 FR 51832, published on October 3, 1997. Information regarding the 1998 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.
J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.



Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 19, 1997.


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 a Memorandum of Understanding dated November 1, 1996 between the Governments of the United States and Indonesia, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in Indonesia and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending through December 31, 1998, in excess of the following levels of restraint:


CategoryTwelve-month restraint limit
Levels in Group I
200840,115 kilograms.
2199,332,338 square meters.
2256,535,057 square meters.
300/3013,993,647 kilograms.
31316,933,428 square meters.
31459,127,294 square meters.
31526,866,342 square meters.
317/326/61725,949,013 square meters of which not more than 3,834,249 square meters shall be in Category 326.
331/6312,382,918 dozen pairs.
334/335218,363 dozen.
336/636609,941 dozen.
338/3391,179,215 dozen.
340/6401,452,234 dozen.
341873,449 dozen.
342/642363,059 dozen.
345422,304 dozen.
347/3481,597,458 dozen.
350/650167,735 dozen.
351/651471,976 dozen.
359-C/659-C11,379,623 kilograms.
359-S/659-S21,452,234 kilograms.
3601,292,483 numbers.
3611,292,483 numbers.
369-S3891,445 kilograms.
43311,495 dozen.
44385,282 numbers.
445/44657,147 dozen.
44717,058 dozen.
44821,004 dozen.
604-A4693,341 kilograms.
611-O54,348,000 square meters.
613/614/61524,615,378 square meters.
618-O65,808,939 square meters.
619/6209,003,856 square meters.
625/626/627/628/629-O727,472,821 square meters.
634/635290,447 dozen.
638/6391,510,326 dozen.
6412,214,226 dozen.
643323,122 numbers.
644452,369 numbers.
645/646764,269 dozen.
647/6483,166,258 dozen.
847400,049 dozen.
Group II
201, 218, 220, 222-224, 226, 227, 237, 239pt.8, 332, 333, 352, 359-O9, 362, 363, 369-O10, 400, 410, 414, 431, 434, 435, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, 459pt.11, 464, 469pt.12, 603, 604-O13, 606, 607, 621, 622, 624, 633, 649, 652, 659-O14, 666, 669-O15, 670-O16, 831, 833-836, 838, 840, 842-846, 850-852, 858 and 859pt.17, as a group88,761,855 square meters equivalent.
Subgroup in Group II
400, 410, 414, 431, 434, 435, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, 459pt., 464 and 469pt., as a group3,010,288 square meters equivalent.
In Group II subgroup
43547,259 dozen.
1Category 359-C: only HTS numbers 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034, 6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010, 6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and 6211.42.0010; Category 659-C: only HTS numbers 6103.23.0055, 6103.43.2020, 6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020, 6104.63.1030, 6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054, 6203.43.2010, 6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510, 6204.69.1010, 6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017 and 6211.43.0010.
2Category 359-S: only HTS numbers 6112.39.0010, 6112.49.0010, 6211.11.8010, 6211.11.8020, 6211.12.8010 and 6211.12.8020; Category 659-S: only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020, 6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010, 6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.
3Category 369-S: only HTS number 6307.10.2005.
4Category 604-A: only HTS number 5509.32.0000.
5Category 611-O: all HTS numbers except 5516.14.0005, 5516.14.0025 and 5516.14.0085.
6Category 618-O: all HTS numbers except 5408.24.9010 and 5408.24.9040.
7Category 625/626/627/628; Category 629-O: all HTS numbers except 5408.34.9085 and 5516.24.0085.
8Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).
9Category 359-O: all HTS numbers except 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034, 6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010, 6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and 6211.42.0010 (Category 359-C); 6112.39.0010, 6112.49.0010, 6211.11.8010, 6211.11.8020, 6211.12.8010 and 6211.12.8020 (Category 359-S) and 6406.99.1550 (Category 359pt.).
10Category 369-O: all HTS numbers except 6307.10.2005 (Category 369-S); 5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090, 5701.90.1020, 5701.90.2020, 5702.10.9020, 5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020, 5702.49.1080, 5702.59.1000, 5702.99.1010, 5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020 and 6406.10.7700 (Category 369pt.).
11Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560.
12Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010 and 6406.10.9020.
13Category 604-O: all HTS numbers except 5509.32.0000 (Category 604-A).
14Category 659-O: all HTS numbers except 6103.23.0055, 6103.43.2020, 6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020, 6104.63.1030, 6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054, 6203.43.2010, 6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510, 6204.69.1010, 6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017, 6211.43.0010 (Category 659-C); 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020, 6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010, 6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010, 6211.12.1020 (Category 659-S); 6406.99.1510 and 6406.99.1540 (Category 659pt.).
15Category 669-O: all HTS numbers except 6305.32.0010, 6305.32.0020, 6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020, 6305.39.0000 (Category 669-P); 5601.10.2000, 5601.22.0090, 5607.49.3000, 5607.50.4000 and 6406.10.9040 (Category 669pt.).
16Category 670-O: all HTS numbers except 4202.12.8030, 4202.12.8070, 4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3030 and 4202.92.9025 (Category 670-L).
17Category 859pt.: only HTS numbers 6115.19.8040, 6117.10.6020, 6212.10.5030, 6212.10.9040, 6212.20.0030, 6212.30.0030, 6212.90.0090, 6214.10.2000 and 6214.90.0090.

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 29, 1996) 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.

Products for integration in 1998 listed in the Federal Register notice published on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21075) which are exported during 1997 shall be charged to the applicable limits to the extent of any unfilled balances. After January 1, 1998, should those unfilled balances be exhausted, such products shall no longer be charged to any limit, due to integration of these products into GATT 1994.

CITA has informed Indonesia of its intent to continue the bilateral visa arrangement for those products. An export visa will continue to be required, if applicable, for products integrated on and after January 1, 1998, before entry is permitted into the United States.



In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner of Customs should construe entry into the United States for consumption to include entry for consumption into the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

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,

J. Hayden Boyd,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 97-0000 Filed 0-00-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F