Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Wearing Apparel

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Wearing Apparel

AGENCY: Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Proposed change of practice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On November 16, 1995, Customs published in the Federal

Register a document proposing to change the practice regarding the

country of origin marking of wearing apparel. Comments were to be

received on or before January 16, 1996. This document extends for an

additional 60 days the period of time within which interested members

of the public may submit comments on the proposed change of practice.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments (preferably in triplicate) may be addressed

to the Regulations Branch, U.S. Customs Service, Franklin Court, 1301

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229. Comments submitted

may be inspected at the Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and

Rulings, Franklin Court, 1099 14th Street, N.W., Suite 4000,

Washington, D.C.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Monika Rice, Special Classification

and Marking Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, (202) 482-6980.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On November 16, 1995, Customs published a document in the Federal

Register (60 FR 57621) proposing to change the practice regarding the

country of origin marking of wearing apparel. Customs previously has

ruled that wearing apparel, such as shirts, blouses, coats, sweaters,

etc., must be marked with the name of the country of origin by means of

a fabric label or label made from natural or synthetic film sewn or

otherwise permanently affixed on the inside center of the neck midway

between the shoulder seams or in that immediate area or otherwise

permanently marked in that area in some other manner. Buttons tags,

string tags and other hand tags, paper labels and other similar methods

of marking are not acceptable. In the November 16 Federal Register

document Customs proposed to change this practice. Customs proposed to

evaluate the marking of such wearing apparel on a case-by-case basis in

order to determine whether the requirements of the marking statute, 19

U.S.C. 1304, are satisfied.

The comment period for this proposed change of practice expired on

January 16, 1996. However, Customs has received requests from

interested parties to extend the period of time for comments in order

to afford the parties additional time to prepare responsive comments.

Customs believes that it is appropriate to grant the request.

Accordingly, the period of time for the submission of comments is

extended another 60 days. With the extension, comments must be received

on or before March 15, 1996.

Dated: January 26, 1996.

Stuart P. Seidel,

Assistant Commissioner, Office of Regulations and Rulings.

[FR Doc. 96-2062 Filed 1-31-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820-02-P