COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of an Import Restraint Limit for Certain Cotton and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Laos

January 29, 1998.

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


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

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 4, 1998.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Helen L. LeGrande, 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.


The Governments of the United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic have agreed to amend and extend the Bilateral Textile Agreement of September 15, 1994 for three consecutive one-year periods, beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending through December 31, 2000.





In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1998 limit for Categories 340/640.

This limit may be revised if Laos becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Laos.

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).



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


Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
January 29, 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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of September 15, 1994, as amended and extended, between the Governments of the United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, you are directed to prohibit, effective on February 4, 1998, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton and man-made fiber textile products in Categories 340/640, produced or manufactured in Laos and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 1998 and extending through December 31, 1998, in excess of 159,536 dozen1

1The limit has not been adjusted to account for any imports exported after December 31, 1997.


The limit set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant to the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Products in the above categories exported during 1997 shall be charged to the applicable category limit for that year (see directive dated November 4, 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.

This limit may be revised if Laos becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Laos.




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 this action falls 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