Announcement of Public Comment Period on the Implementation of the Electronic Visa Information System

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Public Comment Period on the Implementation of

the Electronic Visa Information System

November 6, 1995.

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

ACTION: Seeking Public Comment on the Implementation of the Electronic

Visa Information System

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Carducci, Office of Textiles and

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202)482-3588.

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 Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) allows foreign

governments to electronically transfer shipment information on textile

and apparel shipments which are subject to quantitative restrictions,

to the U.S. Customs Service. Preparations are underway to move beyond

the current test phase and begin implementation of ELVIS with China,

Korea, the Philippines and Singapore on January 1, 1996, pending

bilateral agreement to amend the existing visa arrangements. As other

trading partners complete the technical requirements, they will also be

added to this system. (Note: This implementation will not eliminate the

current requirement for a valid paper visa to accompany each shipment.

After six months from the date of implementation, an assessment of the

dual visa system will be made to determine whether a transition to a

paperless ELVIS system with selected trading partners is appropriate.)

Implementation will require a complete and accurate ELVIS

transmission before the U.S. Customs Service permits entry for a

shipment. U.S. Customs will:

A. Not release merchandise if an ELVIS transmission has not been

received from the country of origin.

B. Not release merchandise if the ELVIS transmission for that

shipment is missing any of the following: visa number, category or part

category, quantity, unit of measure, date of issuance, manufacturer

identification number; or if information in the transmission does not

match information supplied by the importer, or agent on behalf of the

importer.

C. Not release merchandise if the quantity being entered is greater

than the quantity transmitted.

D. Not release merchandise if the visa number has previously been

used, except in the case of a split shipment.

E. Require a new, correct ELVIS transmission from the country of

origin before releasing a shipment that has been denied entry because

of one of the circumstances mentioned above.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements is

requesting interested parties to submit comments on the January 1, 1996

implementation of the Electronic Visa Information System. Comments must

be received on or before Friday, December 8, 1995. Comments may be

mailed to the Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of

Textile Agreements, room 3001, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and

Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.

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).

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

[FR Doc. 95-27797 Filed 11-8-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F