COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Notice to the Public Announcing Process for Reconsideration of Determinations Regarding Denial of Entry to Textiles and Textile Products Allegedly Produced or Manufactured by Certain Companies.
September 1, 1999.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Issuing a directive announcing process for reconsideration of CITA determinations regarding denial of entry.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Walsh, International Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 12475 of May 9, 1984, as amended.
A notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs, dated July 27, 1999, and published in the Federal Register on July 30, 1999 (64 FR 41395) directed the Commissioner of Customs to issue regulations permitting U.S. Customs to deny entry to textiles and textile products where the declared manufacturer was named in a CITA directive as a company found to be illegally transshipping, closed or unable to produce records to verify production. Immediately following that notice, another notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs, also dated July 27, 1999, and published in the Federal Register on July 30, 1999 (64 FR 41395) directed the U.S. Customs Service, effective for goods exported on and after September 1, 1999, to deny entry to textiles and textile products allegedly manufactured by certain listed companies in Macau; Customs had informed CITA that these companies were found to have been illegally transshipping, closed, or unable to produce records to verify production.
The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that CITA has established a process for interested parties to request reconsideration of CITA determinations regarding the companies listed. Effective immediately, CITA will accept petitions from any interested party who believes that CITA should reconsider its determination regarding a specific listed company. Petitions should include the full name, in English, of the company, the full address, and the reasons why CITA should reconsider its determination. In reconsidering its determination, CITA will consider all relevant facts, including the following: information provided by Customs regarding the company; information from the petitioner indicating that the company was not illegally transshipping, was not closed, and maintained records to verify production; and information from authorities in the country of exportation regarding that company.
CITA will review all such petitions and will seek to make a reconsideration determination as soon as possible. It may be necessary for CITA to request the U.S. Customs Service to revisit the company. Moreover, it may be necessary for CITA to request additional information from the petitioner.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).
Troy H. Cribb, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.