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 the Republic of Korea

October 14, 1998.

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


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

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, 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, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the U.S. Customs website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. 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 Korea and exported during the period January 1, 1999 through December 31, 1999 are based on limits notified to the Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1999 limits.

Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required for products from WTO member countries integrated in the second stage of the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994 (see 63 FR 53881, published on October 7, 1998). Non-integrated products shall continue to require a visa. For quota purposes only, products remaining in categories partially integrated will continue to be designated by the designator ``pt.''

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 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997). Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.



Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
October 14, 1998.


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 Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 1999, 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 the Republic of Korea and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31, 1999, in excess of the following levels of restraint:


CategoryTwelve-month restraint limit
Group I
200-223, 224-V1, 224-O2, 225, 226, 227, 300-326, 360-363, 369pt.3, 400-414, 464, 469pt.4, 600-629, 666, 669-P5, 669pt.6 and 670-O7, as a group 393,602,553 square meters equivalent.
Sublevels within Group I
200477,828 kilograms.
2012,372,958 kilograms.
2189,685,721 square meters.
2198,819,518 square meters.
224-V11,118,352 square meters.
300/3013,249,057 kilograms.
31352,948,606 square meters.
31429,521,821 square meters.
31518,670,186 square meters.
317/32619,677,079 square meters.
3631,133,939 numbers.
4103,603,292 square meters.
604405,665 kilograms.
6071,162,288 kilograms.
6113,874,289 square meters.
613/6146,457,146 square meters.
6175,354,708 square meters.
619/62095,902,995 square meters.
6249,449,484 square meters.
625/626/627/628/62916,530,297 square meters.
669-P2,377,650 kilograms.
Group II
237, 239pt.8, 331-348, 350-352, 359-H9, 359pt.10, 431, 433-438, 440-448, 459-W11, 459pt.12, 631, 633-652, 659-H13, 659-S14 and 659pt.15, as a group593,032,404 square meters equivalent.
Sublevels within Group II
23764,255 dozen.
239pt.259,814 kilograms.
333/334/335290,572 dozen of which not more than 148,515 dozen shall be in Category 335.
33661,406 dozen.
338/3391,291,430 dozen.
340671,544 dozen of which not more than 348,687 dozen shall be in Category 340-D16.
341186,703 dozen.
342/642233,549 dozen.
345125,460 dozen.
347/348477,828 dozen.
35017,860 dozen.
351/651245,349 dozen.
352190,924 dozen.
359-H2,750,450 kilograms.
43314,036 dozen.
4347,199 dozen.
43535,741 dozen.
43615,130 dozen.
43860,660 dozen.
440200,091 dozen.
44251,130 dozen.
443322,056 numbers.
44455,716 numbers.
445/44652,656 dozen.
44789,837 dozen.
44835,970 dozen.
459-W97,301 kilograms.
631322,373 dozen pairs.
633/634/6351,364,532 dozen of which not more than 154,735 dozen shall be in Category 633 and not more than 576,650 dozen shall be in Category 635.
636277,412 dozen.
638/6395,312,601 dozen.
640-D173,159,330 dozen.
640-O182,632,774 dozen.
6411,062,809 dozen of which not more than 40,145 dozen shall be in Category 641-Y19.
643787,380 numbers.
6441,184,579 numbers.
645/6463,618,976 dozen.
647/6481,347,261 dozen.
65026,135 dozen.
659-H1,369,574 kilograms.
659-S192,200 kilograms.
Group III
831, 833-838, 840-844, 847-858 and 859pt.20, as a group17,443,884 square meters equivalent.
Sublevel within Group III
83529,007 dozen.
Group IV
8452,315,056 dozen.
846819,974 dozen.
Group VI
369-L/670-L/8702175,768,515 square meters equivalent.
1Category 224-V: only HTS numbers 5801.21.0000, 5801.23.0000, 5801.24.0000, 5801.25.0010, 5801.25.0020, 5801.26.0010, 5801.26.0020, 5801.31.0000, 5801.33.0000, 5801.34.0000, 5801.35.0010, 5801.35.0020, 5801.36.0010 and 5801.36,0020.
2Category 224-O: all remaining HTS numbers in Category 224.
3Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020, 4202.12.8060, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091, 6307.90.9905, (Category 369-L); 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.
4Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010 and 6406.10.9020.
5Category 669-P: only HTS numbers 6305.32.0010, 6305.32.0020, 6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020 and 6305.39.0000.
6Category 669pt.: 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.
7Category 670-O: All HTS numbers except only HTS numbers 4202.12.8030, 4202.12.8070, 4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3031, 4202.92.9026 and 6307.90.9907 (Category 670-L).
8Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).
9Category 359-H: only HTS numbers 6505.90.1540 and 6505.90.2060.
10Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6505.90.1540, 6505.20.2060 (Category 359-H); and 6406.99.1550.
11Category 459-W: only HTS number 6505.90.4090.
12Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6505.90.4090 (Category 459-W); 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560.
13Category 659-H: only HTS numbers 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015, 6504.00.9060, 6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090 and 6505.90.8090.
14Category 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.
15Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015, 6504.00.9060, 6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090, 6505.90.8090 (Category 659-H); 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.
16Category 340-D: only HTS numbers 6205.20.2015, 6205.20.2020, 6205.20.2025 and 6205.20.2030.
17Category 640-D: only HTS numbers 6205.30.2010, 6205.30.2020, 6205.30.2030, 6205.30.2040, 6205.90.3030 and 6205.90.4030.
18Category 640-O: only HTS numbers 6203.23.0080, 6203.29.2050, 6205.30.1000, 6205.30.2050, 6205.30.2060, 6205.30.2070, 6205.30.2080 and 6211.33.0040.
19Category 641-Y: only HTS numbers 6204.23.0050, 6204.29.2030, 6206.40.3010 and 6206.40.3025.
20Category 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.
21Category 870; Category 369-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020, 4202.12.8060, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091 and 6307.90.9905; Category 670-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.8030, 4202.12.8070, 4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3031, 4202.92.9026 and 6307.90.9907.


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 1998 shall be charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see directive dated December 22, 1997) 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.

The conversion factors for the following merged categories are listed below:


CategoryConversion factor (Square meters equivalent/category unit)
333/334/33533.75
369-L/670-L/8703.8
633/634/63534.1
638/63912.96


Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required for products from WTO member countries integrated in the second stage of the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994 (see directive dated September 30, 1998). Non-integrated products shall continue to require a visa. For quota purposes only, products remaining in categories partially integrated will continue to be designated by the designator ``pt.''
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,

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 98-0000 Filed 0-00-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F