Adjustment 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

Adjustment 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

October 27, 1997.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs adjusting

limits.

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 30, 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 current limits for certain categories are being adjusted,

variously, for swing and special shift.

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 61 FR 66263, published on December 17, 1996). Also see

61 FR 65196, published on December 11, 1996.

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 Uruguay Round Agreement on

Textiles and Clothing, but are designed to assist only in the

implementation of certain of their provisions.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

October 27, 1997.

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 December 5, 1996, 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 Hong Kong and exported during the

twelve-month period which began on January 1, 1997 and extends

through December 31, 1997.

Effective on October 30, 1997, you are directed to adjust the

limits for the following categories, as provided for under the

Uruguay Round Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round Agreement on

Textiles and Clothing:

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

Adjusted twelve-month

Category restraint limit \1\

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

Group II

237, 239, 330-359, 431-459 and 630-659, 869,497,171 square meters

as a group. equivalent.

Sublevels in Group II

359(1) \2\ (coveralls, overalls and 624,594 kilograms.

jumpsuits).

659(1) \3\ (coveralls, overalls and 671,258 kilograms.

jumpsuits).

Within Group II subgroup

351..................................... 1,213,353 dozen.

651..................................... 309,578 dozen.

Group III

831-844 and 847-859, as a group......... 39,374,149 square meters

equivalent.

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

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

exported after December 31, 1996.

\2\ 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.

\3\ 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.

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,

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 97-28784 Filed 10-29-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F