Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Man- Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Hong Kong

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Man-

Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile

Products Produced or Manufactured in Hong Kong

December 5, 1996.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing

limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1997.

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) 927-5850. 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); Uruguay Round Agreements Act.

The import restraint limits for textile products, produced or

manufactured in Hong Kong and exported during the period January 1,

1997 through December 31, 1997 are based on limits notified to the

Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements Act

and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the

Commissioner of Customs to establish the 1997 limits. These limits have

been increased, variously, for adjustments permitted under the

flexibility provisions of the ATC.

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 60 FR 65299, published on December 19, 1995).

Information regarding the 1997 CORRELATION will be published in the

Federal Register at a later date.

The letter to the Commissioner of Customs and the actions taken

pursuant to it are not designed to implement all of the provisions of

the Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the ATC, but are designed to

assist only in the implementation of certain of their provisions.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

December 5, 1997.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

Dear Commissioner: Under the terms of section 204 of the

Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854), the Uruguay

Round Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and

Clothing (ATC); and in accordance with the provisions of Executive

Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, you are directed to

prohibit, effective on January 1, 1997, entry into the United States

for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of

cotton, man-made fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber

textiles and textile products in the following categories, produced

or manufactured in Hong Kong and exported during the twelve-month

period beginning on January 1, 1997 and extending through December

31, 1997, in excess of the following levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Category Twelve-month restraint limit

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group I

200-229, 300-326, 360-369, 400-414, 464- 236,571,223 square meters

469, 600-629 and 665-670, as a group. equivalent.

Sublevels in Group I

219....................................... 40,765,382 square meters.

218/225/317/326........................... 72,329,264 square meters of

which not more than

3,983,614 square meters

shall be in Category 218(1)

\1\ (yarn dyed fabric other

than denim and jacquard).

611....................................... 6,427,213 square meters.

617....................................... 4,055,120 square meters.

Group I subgroup

200, 226/313, 314, 315, 369(1) and 604, as 108,370,178 square meters

a group equivalent.

Within Group I subgroup

200....................................... 351,463 kilograms.

226/313................................... 73,124,341 square meters.

314....................................... 19,720,758 square meters

315....................................... 9,750,009 square meters.

369(1) \2\ (shoptowels)................... 801,254 kilograms.

604....................................... 241,257 kilograms.

Group II

237, 239, 330-359, 431-459, 630-659 and 861,136,621 square meters

443/444/643/644/843/844(1), as a group. equivalent.

Sublevels in Group II

237....................................... 1,178,824 dozen.

239....................................... 5,403,886 kilograms.

331....................................... 4,213,404 dozen pairs.

333/334................................... 299,232 dozen.

335....................................... 342,293 dozen.

338/339 \3\ (shirts and blouses other than 2,909,387 dozen.

tank tops and tops, knit).

338/339(1) \4\ (tank tops and knit tops).. 2,185,837 dozen.

340....................................... 2,786,045 dozen.

345....................................... 455,179 dozen.

347/348................................... 6,749,465 dozen of which not

more than 6,659,465 dozen

shall be in Categories 347-

W/348-W \5\; not more than

5,046,796 dozen shall be in

Category 348-W \6\.

352....................................... 6,933,688 dozen.

359(1) \6\ (coveralls, overalls and 613,340 kilograms.

jumpsuits).

359(2) \7\ (vests)........................ 1,278,325 kilograms.

433....................................... 10,359 dozen.

434....................................... 11,121 dozen.

435....................................... 76,592 dozen.

436....................................... 99,757 dozen.

438....................................... 819,284 dozen.

442....................................... 91,889 dozen.

443....................................... 62,939 numbers.

444....................................... 41,607 numbers.

445/446................................... 1,354,168 dozen.

447/448................................... 68,101 dozen.

631....................................... 654,264 dozen pairs.

633/634/635............................... 1,342,208 dozen of which not

more than 502,016 dozen

shall be in Categories 633/

634 and not more than

1,030,664 dozen shall be in

Category 635.

638/639................................... 4,884,258 dozen.

641....................................... 843,978 dozen.

644....................................... 44,376 numbers.

645/646................................... 1,338,683 dozen.

647....................................... 544,261 dozen.

[[Page 65197]]

648....................................... 1,159,658 dozen of which not

more than 1,144,868 dozen

shall be in Category 648-W

\8\.

649....................................... 837,944 dozen.

650....................................... 173,283 dozen.

652....................................... 4,935,766 dozen.

659(1) \9\ (coveralls, overalls and 677,901 kilograms.

jumpsuits).

659(2) \10\ (swimsuits)................... 276,711 kilograms.

443/444/643/644/843/844(1) (made-to- 57,573 numbers.

measure suits).

Group II subgroup

336,341, 342, 350, 351, 636, 640, 642 and 156,179,899 square meters

651, as a group. equivalent.

Within Group II subgroup

336....................................... 227,679 dozen.

341....................................... 2,820,117 dozen.

342....................................... 556,399 dozen.

350....................................... 138,726 dozen.

351....................................... 1,191,090 dozen.

636....................................... 306,415 dozen.

640....................................... 955,148 dozen.

642....................................... 243,673 dozen.

651....................................... 331,841 dozen.

Group III

831-844 and 847-859, as a group........... 47,734,699 square meters

equivalent.

Sublevels in Group III

834....................................... 12,470 dozen.

835....................................... 113,138 dozen.

836....................................... 164,764 dozen.

840....................................... 672,047 dozen.

842....................................... 261,475 dozen.

847....................................... 360,912 dozen.

Limits not in a group

845(1) \11\ (sweaters made in Hong Kong).. 1,127,831 dozen.

845(2) \12\ (sweaters assembled in Hong 2,699,599 dozen.

Kong from knit-to-shape components, knit

elsewhere).

846(1) \13\ (sweaters made in Hong Kong).. 182,381 dozen.

846(2) \14\ (sweaters assembled in Hong 439,469 dozen.

Kong from knit-to-shape components, knit

elsewhere).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Category 218(1): all HTS numbers except 5209.42.0060, 5209.42.0080,

5211.42.0060, 5211.42.0080, 5514.32.0015 and 5516.43.0015.

\2\ Category 369(1): only HTS numbers 6307.10.2005.

\3\ Categories 338/339: all HTS numbers except 6109.10.0018,

6109.10.0023, 6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and

6114.20.0010.

\4\ Category 338/339(1): only HTS numbers 6109.10.0018, 6109.10.0023,

6109.10.0060, 6109.10.0065, 6114.20.0005 and 6114.20.0010.

\5\ Category 347-W: only HTS numbers 6203.19.1020, 6203.19.9020,

6203.22.3020, 6203.22.3030, 6203.42.4005, 6203.42.4010, 6203.42.4015,

6203.42.4025, 6203.42.4035, 6203.42.4045, 6203.42.4050, 6203.42.4060,

6203.49.8020, 6210.40.9033, 6211.20.1520, 6211.20.3810 and

6211.32.0040; Category 348-W: only HTS numbers 6204.12.0030,

6204.19.8030, 6204.22.3040, 6204.22.3050, 6204.29.4034, 6204.62.3000,

6204.62.4005, 6204.62.4010, 6204.62.4020, 6204.62.4030, 6204.62.4040,

6204.62.4050, 6204.62.4055, 6204.62.4065, 6204.69.6010, 6204.69.9010,

6210.50.9060, 6211.20.1550, 6211.20.6810, 6211.42.0030 and

6217.90.9050.

\6\ Category 359(1): only HTS numbers 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034,

6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010,

6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and

6211.42.0010.

\7\ Category 359(2): only HTS numbers 6103.19.2030, 6103.19.9030,

6104.12.0040, 6104.19.8040, 6110.20.1022, 6110.20.1024, 6110.20.2030,

6110.20.2035, 6110.90.9044, 6110.90.9046, 6201.92.2010, 6202.92.2020,

6203.19.1030, 6203.19.9030, 6204.12.0040, 6204.19.8040, 6211.32.0070

and 6211.42.0070.

\8\ Category 648-W: only HTS numbers 6204.23.0040, 6204.23.0045,

6204.29.2020, 6204.29.2025, 6204.29.4038, 6204.63.2000, 6204.63.3000,

6204.63.3510, 6204.63.3530, 6204.63.3532, 6204.63.3540, 6204.69.2510,

6204.69.2530, 6204.69.2540, 6204.69.2560, 6204.69.6030, 6204.69.9030,

6210.50.5035, 6211.20.1555, 6211.20.6820, 6211.43.0040 and

6217.90.9060.

\9\ Category 659(1): only HTS numbers 6103.23.0055, 6103.43.2020,

6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020, 6104.63.1030,

6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054, 6203.43.2010,

6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510, 6204.69.1010,

6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017 and 6211.43.0010.

\10\ Category 659(2): only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020,

6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010,

6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.

\11\ Category 845(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2074, 6104.29.2079,

6110.90.9024, 6110.90.9042 and 6117.90.9015.

\12\ Category 845(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2070, 6104.29.2077,

6110.90.9022 and 6110.90.9040.

\13\ Category 846(1): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2068, 6104.29.2075,

6110.90.9020 and 6110.90.9038.

\14\ Category 846(2): only HTS numbers 6103.29.2066, 6104.29.2073,

6110.90.9018 and 6110.90.9036.

Imports charged to these category limits for the period January

1, 1996 through December 31, 1996 shall be charged against those

levels of restraint to the extent of any unfilled balances. In the

event the limits established for that period have been exhausted by

previous entries, such goods shall be subject to the levels set

forth in this directive.

The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment in the

future pursuant to the provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements

Act, the ATC and any administrative arrangements notified to the

Textiles Monitoring Body.

The conversion factors for merged Categories 333/334, 633/634/

635 and 638/639 are 33, 33.90 and 13, respectively.

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 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.

[FR Doc. 96-31460 Filed 12-10-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F