New Export Visa Stamp for Certain Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Japan

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

New Export Visa Stamp for Certain Textiles and Textile Products

Produced or Manufactured in Japan

February 27, 1997.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs providing

for the use of a new export visa stamp.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of

Commerce, (202) 482-4212.

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.

Beginning on April 1, 1997, the ``Japan Cotton Textile Exporters

Association'' and the ``Japan Silk & Synthetic Textiles Exporters'

Association'' will merge to form the ``Japan Textiles Exporters'

Association.''

Effective on April 1, 1997, regardless of the date of export,

textile products from Japan shall be accompanied by a visa with the new

stamped marking ``Japan Textiles Exporters' Association,'' instead of

the ones from the former ``Japan Cotton Textile Exporters Association''

and ``Japan Silk & Synthetic Textiles Exporters' Association.'' There

will be a grace period from April 1, 1997 through April 30, 1997,

during which the old or the new visas will be acceptable. The new visa

stamp must accompany goods exported on and after May 1, 1997.

Export visa stamps from Japan with the following markings remain

unchanged and will continue to be accepted: ``Japan Woollen & Linen

Textiles Exporters Association,'' ``The Japan Textile Products

Exporters' Association'' and ``Japan General Merchandise Exporters'

Association.'' The exempt certification stamp will continue unchanged

with the ``The Japan Textile Products Exporters' Association'' marking.

See 52 FR 4639, published on February 13, 1987.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

February 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 February 6, 1987, as amended, by the

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

That directive directed you to prohibit entry of certain textiles

and textile products, produced or manufactured in Japan for which

the Government of Japan has not issued an appropriate visa or exempt

certification.

Beginning on April 1, 1997, the ``Japan Cotton Textile Exporters

Association'' and the ``Japan Silk & Synthetic Textiles Exporters'

Association'' will merge to form the ``Japan Textiles Exporters'

Association.''

Effective on April 1, 1997, regardless of the date of export,

textile products from Japan shall be accompanied by a visa with the

new stamped marking ``Japan Textiles Exporters' Association,''

instead of the ones from the former ``Japan Cotton Textile Exporters

Association'' and ``Japan Silk & Synthetic Textiles Exporters'

Association.'' There will be a grace period for goods exported from

April 1, 1997 through April 30, 1997, during which the old or the

new visas will be acceptable. The new visa stamp must accompany

goods exported on and after May 1, 1997.

A facsimile of the new visa stamp is enclosed with this letter.

The remaining visa and certification stamps remain unchanged.

Shipments entered or withdrawn from warehouse according to this

directive which are not accompanied by an appropriate export visa

shall be denied entry and a new visa must be obtained.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has

determined that this action falls within the foreign affairs

exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).

Sincerely,

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN05MR97.014

[FR Doc. 97-5402 Filed 3-4-97; 8:45 am]

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