Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Textile and Clothing Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Textile and Clothing

Integrated into GATT 1994 in the Second Stage

September 30, 1998.

AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

ACTION: Issuing a Directive to the Commissioner of Customs amending

export visa requirements.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori E. Mennitt, International Trade

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

Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as

amended.

The Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing provides for

the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994. The second

stage of the integration commenced on January 1, 1998 (see 60 FR 21075,

published on May 1, 1995). In a Federal Register notice published on

October 3, 1997 (62 FR 51832), the Committee for the Implementation of

Textile Agreements announced that it had determined that it was

necessary to maintain coverage of the currently applicable visa systems

for the products to be integrated in the second stage of the

integration and that an export visa issued by the government of the

country of origin would continue to be required for products integrated

on and after January 1, 1998, before entry is permitted into the United

States.

Subsequent experience has shown that export visas for these

products from World Trade Organization Member countries are not

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

the Commissioner of Customs to no longer require a visa for these

products from World Trade Organization Member countries entered into

the United States on and after January 1, 1999.

A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS

[[Page 53882]]

numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories

with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal

Register notice 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997).

Troy H. Cribb

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

September 30, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to Section 204 of the Agricultural

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of

March 3, 1972, as amended; and the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, you are directed to amend the

current visa requirements for textile and apparel products produced

or manufactured in WTO Member countries (Bahrain, Bangladesh,

Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Hong Kong,

India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives,

Mauritius, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania,

Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and United Arab

Emirates) that are entered into the United States on and after

January 1, 1999 and that are integrated into GATT 1994 in the second

stage of the integration.

Effective on January 1, 1999, export visas no longer will be

required for certain textile and apparel products from WTO member

countries.

Textile categories subject to this directive are 229, 330, 349,

353, 354, 432, 439, 465, 630, 632, 653, 654, 665, 832, 839 and 899;

and products in 239--babies garments, except diapers; 359, 459, 659

and 859--footwear; 369, 469 and 669--certain wadding and footwear;

and 859--other silk blends and non-cotton vegetable fiber apparel. A

complete list of products subject to this directive is attached to

this letter.

Export visas will continue to be required for non-integrated

products and for products integrated in the second stage produced or

manufactured in countries that are not members of the World Trade

Organization.

For WTO countries, non-integrated products in Categories 239,

359, 459, 659, 859, 369, 469 and 669 shall continue to be visaed in

those categories, except if a letter or number designator for a

part-category already exists. All letter or number part category

designators shall continue to be used except for ``pt'' (which is

currently being used for quota purposes only). If an ``O''

designation already exists, then that part-category shall continue

to require an ``O'' designation, excluding the HTS numbers for

integrated products. The HTS coverage for non-WTO countries shall

remain unchanged.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has

determined that this action falls 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.

ATTACHMENT

I. Part or Partial Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

Babies Garments and Clothing Accessories, Except Diapers

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Category 1998 HTS

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239....................................... 6111201000

239....................................... 6111202000

239....................................... 6111203000

239....................................... 6111204000

239....................................... 6111205000

239....................................... 6111206010

239....................................... 6111206020

239....................................... 6111206030

239....................................... 6111206040

239....................................... 6111301000

239....................................... 6111302000

239....................................... 6111303000

239....................................... 6111304000

239....................................... 6111305010

239....................................... 6111305015

239....................................... 6111305020

239....................................... 6111305030

239....................................... 6111305040

239....................................... 6111901000

239....................................... 6111902000

239....................................... 6111903000

239....................................... 6111904000

239....................................... 6111905010

239....................................... 6111905020

239....................................... 6111905030

239....................................... 6111905040

239....................................... 6209201000

239....................................... 6209202000

239....................................... 6209203000

239....................................... 6209205030

239....................................... 6209205035

239....................................... 6209205045

239....................................... 6209205050

239....................................... 6209301000

239....................................... 6209302000

239....................................... 6209303010

239....................................... 6209303020

239....................................... 6209303030

239....................................... 6209303040

239....................................... 6209901000

239....................................... 6209902000

239....................................... 6209903010

239....................................... 6209903015

239....................................... 6209903020

239....................................... 6209903030

239....................................... 6209903040

239....................................... 6505901515

239....................................... 6505902030

239....................................... 6505905030

239....................................... 6505906030

239....................................... 6505907030

239....................................... 6505908045

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Footwear

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

Category 1998 HTS

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

359....................................... 6406991550

459....................................... 6405206030

459....................................... 6405206060

459....................................... 6405206090

459....................................... 6406991505

459....................................... 6406991560

659....................................... 6406991510

659....................................... 6406991540

859....................................... 6406991570

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Certain Wadding and Footwear

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

Category 1998 HTS

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

369....................................... 5601101000

369....................................... 5601210090

369....................................... 5701901020

369....................................... 5701902020

369....................................... 5702109020

369....................................... 5702392010

369....................................... 5702491020

369....................................... 5702491080

369....................................... 5702591000

369....................................... 5702991010

369....................................... 5702991090

369....................................... 5705002020

369....................................... 6406107700

469....................................... 5601290020

469....................................... 5603941010

469....................................... 6406109020

669....................................... 5601102000

669....................................... 5601220090

669....................................... 5607493000

669....................................... 5607504000

669....................................... 6406109040

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

Other Silk Blend and Non-cotton Vegetable Fiber Apparel

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

Category 1998 HTS

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

859....................................... 6103292082

859....................................... 6103498060

859....................................... 6104292087

859....................................... 6104292090

859....................................... 6104698020

859....................................... 6110909064

859....................................... 6110909066

859....................................... 6112202030

859....................................... 6112390090

859....................................... 6112490090

859....................................... 6114909020

859....................................... 6114909030

859....................................... 6114909040

859....................................... 6114909070

859....................................... 6117809570

859....................................... 6117909095

859....................................... 6203293080

859....................................... 6203498010

859....................................... 6204294090

859....................................... 6204294092

859....................................... 6204696070

859....................................... 6204699050

859....................................... 6211118040

859....................................... 6211128030

859....................................... 6211204860

859....................................... 6211207830

859....................................... 6211399010

859....................................... 6211399020

859....................................... 6211399060

859....................................... 6211399090

859....................................... 6211499010

859....................................... 6211499020

859....................................... 6211499060

859....................................... 6211499070

859....................................... 6211499090

[[Page 53883]]

859....................................... 6213102000

859....................................... 6213902000

859....................................... 6217109550

859....................................... 6217909095

859....................................... 6505901560

859....................................... 6505902590

859....................................... 6505909095

859....................................... 6505909085

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II. Whole Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

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Category 1998 HTS

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229....................................... Special Purpose Fabric

330....................................... Handkerchiefs

349....................................... Brassieres and Other Body

Supporting Garments

353....................................... Men's and Boys' Down-filled

Coats

354....................................... Women's and Girls' Down-

filled Coats

432....................................... Hosiery

439....................................... Babies Garments and Clothing

Accessories

465....................................... Floor Coverings

630....................................... Handkerchiefs

632....................................... Hosiery

653....................................... Men's and Boys' Down-filled

Coats

654....................................... Women's and Girls' Down-

filled Coats

665....................................... Floor Coverings

832....................................... Hosiery

839....................................... Babies Garments and Clothing

Accessories

899....................................... Other Silk and Vegetable

Blend Manufactures

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[FR Doc. 98-26802 Filed 10-6-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F