COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Wool Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Ukraine

November 24, 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: Roy Unger, International Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of this limit, 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.


A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated May 6, 1995, between the Governments of the United States and Ukraine establishes limits for certain wool textile products for the period January 1, 1998 through December 31, 1998.


In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1998 limits.

These limits may be revised if Ukraine becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Ukraine.

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). Information regarding the 1998 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.


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


Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 24, 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; and the Memorandum of Understanding dated May 6, 1995, between the Governments of the United States and Ukraine, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of wool textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in Ukraine and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending through December 31, 1998, in excess of the following limits of restraint:

CategoryTwelve-month limit
43590,100 dozen.
44215,000 dozen.
44465,000 numbers.
44865,000 dozen.



The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the United States and Ukraine.

These limits may be revised if Ukraine becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Ukraine.

Products in Category 435 exported during 1997 shall be charged to the applicable category limit for that year (see directive dated November 1, 1996) to the extent of any unfilled balance. In the event the limit established for that period has been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged to the limit set forth in this directive for Category 435.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,

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