COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Elimination of Export Visa and Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) Requirements for Silk Apparel Products Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China

November 23, 1998.

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


ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs eliminating export visa and ELVIS requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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, 1972, as amended.


In accordance with the Export Visa Arrangement, effected by a Memorandum of Understanding dated February 1, 1997, between the Governments of the United States and the People's Republic of China, the U.S. Government has agreed to discontinue the requirement for export licenses and ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information System) transmissions for silk apparel products in Categories 733-736, 738-748, 750-752, 758 and 759, produced or manufactured in China and entered into the United States after December 31, 1998.


In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to no longer require a visa or ELVIS transmission for silk apparel products in the aforementioned categories which are produced or manufactured in China and entered into the United States on and after January 1, 1999. Other export documentation will continue to be required.

See 62 FR 15465, published on April 1, 1997.

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

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
November 23, 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 March 27, 1997, by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive establishes an export visa arrangement for certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber, silk blend, and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products, and silk apparel products, produced or manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

Effective on January 1, 1999, you are directed to no longer require a visa or ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information System) transmission for silk apparel products in Categories 733-736, 738-748, 750-752, 758 and 759, produced or manufactured in China and entered into the United States after December 31, 1998.


Shipments of silk apparel products in the aforementioned categories which are produced or manufactured in China and entered into the United States on and after January 1, 1999 shall not be denied entry for lack of an export visa or ELVIS transmission. Other export documentation will continue to be required.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has determined that this action falls within the foreign affairs exception to 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. 98-0000 Filed 0-00-98; 8:45 am]
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