COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Adjustment of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Man-Made Fiber,

Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Textiles and Textile Products

Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China

April 13, 1994.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs adjusting

limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 13, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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 or call (202) 927-6703. For information on

embargoes and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended;

section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C.

1854).

The current limit for Category 840 is being increased for swing and

carryforward. The limit for Category 607 is being reduced to account

for the swing being applied.

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 58 FR 62645, published on November 29, 1993). Also see

59 FR 3847, published on January 27, 1994.

Rita D. Hayes,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

April 13, 1994.

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 January 24, 1994, by the Chairman,

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That

directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber,

silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products,

produced or manufactured in the People's Republic of China and

exported during the twelve-month period which began on January 1,

1994 and extends through December 31, 1994.

Effective on April 13, 1994, you are directed to adjust the

limits for the following categories, as provided under the terms of

the Memorandum of Understanding dated January 17, 1994 between the

Governments of the United States and the People's Republic of China:

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Category Adjusted twelve-month limit\1\

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Sublevels in Group I

607................................ 2,834,072 kilograms.

840................................ 487,929 dozen.

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\1\The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported

after December 31, 1993.

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,

Rita D. Hayes,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

[FR Doc. 94-9430 Filed 4-18-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Request for Public Comments on Bilateral Textile Consultations with

the Government of the People's Republic of China on Certain Cotton

and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products

April 13, 1994.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing

a limit.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 21, 1994

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, 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) 927-6703. For information on

embargoes and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715. For information

on categories on which consultations have been requested, call (202)

482-3740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended;

section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C.

1854).

On March 30, 1994, under the terms of the Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) dated January 17, 1994, between the Governments of

the United States and the People's Republic of China, the United States

Government requested consultations with the Government of the People's

Republic of China with respect to woven pile fabric in Category 224-V.

The U.S. Government has decided to implement a limit for the

prorated period beginning on March 30, 1994 and extending through

December 31, 1994.

A summary market statement concerning Category 224-V follows this

notice.

Anyone wishing to comment or provide data or information regarding

the treatment of Category 224-V, under the agreement with the the

Government of the People's Republic of China, or to comment on domestic

production or availability of products included in Category 224-V, is

invited to submit 10 copies of such comments or information to Rita D.

Hayes, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; ATTN:

Helen L. LeGrande. The comments received will be considered in the

context of the consultations with the Government of the People's

Republic of China.

Comments or information submitted in response to this notice will

be available for public inspection in the Office of Textiles and

Apparel, room H3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.

Further comments may be invited regarding particular comments or

information received from the public which the Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements considers appropriate for further

consideration.

The solicitation of comments regarding any aspect of the agreement

or the implementation thereof is not a waiver in any respect of the

exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) relating to matters which

constitute ``a foreign affairs function of the United States.''

The United States remains committed to finding a solution

concerning Category 224-V. Should such a solution be reached in

consultations with the Government of the People's Republic of China,

further notice will be published in the Federal Register.

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 58 FR 64645, published on November 29, 1993). Also see

59 FR 3847, published on January 27, 1994.

Rita D. Hayes,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Market Statement--China

Category 224-Part--Cotton and Manmade Fiber Woven Pile Fabrics

March 1994

Import Situation and Conclusion

U.S. imports of cotton and manmade fiber woven pile fabrics,

Category 224-Part, from China surged to 3,004,237 square meters in

1993, double the 1,433,201 square meters imported in 1992. China is the

second largest supplier of cotton and manmade fiber woven pile fabrics,

Category 224-part, to the U.S. market, accounting for 21 percent of

total imports in 1993. In 1992, China ranked third among the major

suppliers, accounting for 12 percent of total imports.

The sharp and substantial increase of Category 224-Part imports

from China is causing a real risk of disruption in the U.S. market for

cotton and manmade fiber woven pile fabrics.

U.S. Production, Import Penetration, and Market Share

U.S. production of cotton and manmade fiber woven pile fabrics,

Category 224-Part, declined from 52,134,000 square meters in 1989 to

44,243,000 square meters in 1992, a decline of 15 percent. Production

continued to decline in 1993, falling to 32,867,000 square meters

during January-September 1993, 4 percent below the January-September

1992 level. In contrast, U.S. imports of cotton and manmade fiber woven

pile fabrics, Category 224-Part, nearly doubled, increasing from

6,063,000 square meters in 1989 to 11,638,000 square meters in 1992.

Imports of cotton and manmade fiber woven pile fabrics continued to

increase in 1993, reaching 14,456,512 square meters, 25 percent above

the 1992 level.

The U.S. producers' share of the market for cotton and manmade

fiber woven pile fabrics fell from 90 percent in 1989 to 73 percent

during January-September 1993, a decline of 17 percentage points. The

ratio of imports to domestic production more than tripled during the

same time period, increasing from 12 percent in 1989 to 37 percent

during January-September 1993.

Duty-Paid Value and U.S. Producers' Price

Approximately 82 percent of Category 224-Part imports from China

during 1993 entered the U.S. under HTSUSA numbers 5801.23.00000--cut

weft pile fabrics of cotton, 5801.25.0010--cut warp pile fabrics of

cotton weighing over 271 grams per square meter, and 5801.25.0020--cut

warp pile fabrics of cotton weighing less than 271 grams per square

meter. These fabrics entered the U.S. at landed duty-paid values below

U.S. producers' prices for comparable cotton and manmade fiber woven

pile fabrics.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

April 13, 1994.

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 January 24, 1994, by the Chairman,

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That

directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber,

silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products,

produced or manufactured in the People's Republic of China and

exported during the period which began on January 1, 1994 and

extends through December 31, 1994.

Effective on April 21, 1994 , you are directed to amend the

January 24, 1994 directive to separate Category 224 in Group III

into part Categories 224-V\1\ and 224-O\2\.

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\1\Category 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.

\2\Category 224-O: all HTS numbers except those in 224-V.

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Also effective on April 21, 1994, you are directed to establish

a limit for cotton and man-made fiber woven pile fabric in Category

224-V, produced or manufactured in China and exported during the

period beginning on March 30, 1994 and extending through December

31, 1994 at a level of 2,450,923 square meters\3\.

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\3\The limit has not been adjusted to account for any imports

exported after March 29, 1994.

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Textile products in Category 224-V which have been exported to

the United States prior to March 30, 1994 shall not be subject to

the limit established in this directive.

Category 224-V and Category 224-O shall remain subject to the

1994 Group III limit.

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,

Rita D. Hayes,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 94-9431 Filed 4-18-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F