Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Shipments of Textile and Clothing Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage from Oman

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Shipments of Textile and Clothing Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage from Oman

January 30, 2001.

AGENCY:

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION:

Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending export visa requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

February 5, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roy Unger, 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.

The Uruguay Round Agreement of Textiles and Clothing provides for the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994. The second stage of the integration began on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075, published May 1, 1995). In a

Federal Register

notice published on October 7, 1998 (63 FR 53881), the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) amended the export visa requirements to no longer require a visa for products integrated during the second stage of integration for products from members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Oman joined the WTO on November 9, 2000. In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs to no longer require a visa for products integrated into GATT 1994 in the second stage from Oman entered on and after February 5, 2001.

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 65 FR 82328, published on December 28, 2000).

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

January 30, 2001.

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 World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, you are directed to amend the current visa requirements for textile and apparel products produced or manufactured in Oman that are entered into the United States on and after February 5, 2001, and that were integrated into GATT 1994 in the second stage of integration.

Effective on February 5, 2001, export visas no longer will be required for certain textile and apparel products from Oman.

Textile products subject to this directive are 229, 330, 349, 353, 354, 432, 439, 465, 630, 632, 653, 654, 665, 832, 839 and 899; and products in 239-babies garments, except diapers; 359, 459, 659 and 859-footwear; 369, 469 and 669-certain wadding and footwear; and 859-other silk blends and non-cotton vegetable fiber apparel. A complete list of products subject to this directive is attached to this letter.

Export visas will continue to be required for non-integrated products produced or manufactured in Oman.

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.

ATTACHMENT

I. Part or Partial Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories, Except Diapers

Category

1998 HTS

239

6111201000

239

6111202000

239

6111203000

239

6111204000

239

6111205000

239

6111206010

239

6111206020

239

6111206030

239

6111206040

239

6111301000

239

6111302000

239

6111303000

239

6111304000

239

6111305010

239

6111305015

239

6111305020

239

6111305030

239

6111305040

239

6111901000

239

6111902000

239

6111903000

239

6111904000

239

6111905010

239

6111905020

239

6111905030

239

6111905040

239

6209201000

239

6209202000

239

6209203000

239

6209205030

239

6209205035

239

6209205045

239

6209205050

239

6209301000

239

6209302000

239

6209303010

239

6209303020

239

6209303030

239

6209303040

239

6209901000

239

6209902000

239

6209903010

239

6209903015

239

6209903020

239

6209903030

239

6209903040

239

6505901515

239

6505902030

239

6505905030

239

6505906030

239

6505907030

239

6505908045

Footwear

Category

1998 HTS

359

6406991550

459

6405206030

459

6405206060

459

6405206090

459

6406991505

459

6406991560

659

6406991510

659

6406991540

859

6406991570

Certain Wadding and Footwear

Category

1998 HTS

369

5601101000

369

5601210090

369

5701901020

369

5701902020

369

5702109020

369

5702392010

369

5702491020

369

5702491080

369

5702591000

369

5702991010

369

5702991090

369

5705002020

369

6406107700

469

5601290020

469

5603941010

469

6406109020

669

5601102000

669

5601220090

669

5607493000

669

5607504000

669

6406109040

Other Silk Blend and Non-cotton Vegetable Fiber Apparel

Category

1998 HTS

859

6103292082

859

6103498060

859

6104292087

859

6104292090

859

6104698020

859

6110909064

859

6110909066

859

6112202030

859

6112390090

859

6112490090

859

6114909020

859

6114909030

859

6114909040

859

6114909070

859

6117809570

859

6117909095

859

6203293080

859

6203498010

859

6204294090

859

6204294092

859

6204696070

859

6204699050

859

6211118040

859

6211128030

859

6211204860

859

6211207830

859

6211399010

859

6211399020

859

6211399060

859

6211399090

859

6211499010

859

6211499020

859

6211499060

859

6211499070

859

6211499090

859

6213102000

859

6213902000

859

6217109550

859

6217909095

859

6505901560

859

6505902590

859

6505909095

859

6505909085

II. Whole Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

Category

1998 HTS

229

Special Purpose Fabric

330

Handkerchiefs

349

Brassieres and Other Body Supporting Garments

353

Men's and Boys' Down-filled Coats

354

Women's and Girls' Down-filled Coats

432

Hosiery

439

Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories

465

Floor Coverings

630

Handkerchiefs

632

Hosiery

653

Men's and Boys' Down-filled Coats

654

Women's and Girls' Down-filled Coats

665

Floor Coverings

832

Hosiery

839

Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories

899

Other Silk and Vegetable Blend Manufactures

[FR Doc. 01-2899 Filed 2-2-01; 8:45 am]

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