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

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool,

Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and

Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the Republic of Korea

October 14, 1998.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing

limits.

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, International Trade

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

[[Page 56006]]

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, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to

the U.S. Customs website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. For

information on embargoes and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.

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 import restraint limits for textile products, produced or

manufactured in Korea and exported during the period January 1, 1999

through December 31, 1999 are based on limits notified to the Textiles

Monitoring Body pursuant to 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 1999 limits.

Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required for

products from WTO member countries integrated in the second stage of

the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994 (see 63 FR

53881, published on October 7, 1998). Non-integrated products shall

continue to require a visa. For quota purposes only, products remaining

in categories partially integrated will continue to be designated by

the designator ``pt.''

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

Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the

Federal Register at a later date.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

October 14, 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 Uruguay Round Agreement on

Textiles and Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit, effective

on January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for consumption and

withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool, man-made

fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile

products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in

the Republic of Korea and exported during the twelve-month period

beginning on January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31,

1999, in excess of the following levels of restraint:

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

Category Twelve-month restraint limit

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

Group I

200-223, 224-V \1\, 224-O \2\, 225, 226, 393,602,553 square meters

227, 300-326, 360-363, 369pt. \3\, 400- equivalent.

414, 464, 469pt. \4\, 600-629, 666, 669-

P \5\, 669pt. \6\ and 670-O \7\, as a

group.

Sublevels within Group I

200..................................... 477,828 kilograms.

201..................................... 2,372,958 kilograms.

218..................................... 9,685,721 square meters.

219..................................... 8,819,518 square meters.

224-V................................... 11,118,352 square meters.

300/301................................. 3,249,057 kilograms.

313..................................... 52,948,606 square meters.

314..................................... 29,521,821 square meters.

315..................................... 18,670,186 square meters.

317/326................................. 19,677,079 square meters.

363..................................... 1,133,939 numbers.

410..................................... 3,603,292 square meters.

604..................................... 405,665 kilograms.

607..................................... 1,162,288 kilograms.

611..................................... 3,874,289 square meters.

613/614................................. 6,457,146 square meters.

617..................................... 5,354,708 square meters.

619/620................................. 95,902,995 square meters.

624..................................... 9,449,484 square meters.

625/626/627/628/629..................... 16,530,297 square meters.

669-P................................... 2,377,650 kilograms.

Group II

237, 239pt. \8\, 331-348, 350-352, 359-H 593,032,404 square meters

\9\, 359pt. \10\, 431, 433-438, 440- equivalent.

448, 459-W \11\, 459pt. \12\, 631, 633-

652, 659-H \13\, 659-S \14\ and 659pt.

\15\, as a group.

Sublevels within Group II

237..................................... 64,255 dozen.

239pt................................... 259,814 kilograms.

333/334/335............................. 290,572 dozen of which not

more than 148,515 dozen

shall be in Category 335.

336..................................... 61,406 dozen.

338/339................................. 1,291,430 dozen.

340..................................... 671,544 dozen of which not

more than 348,687 dozen

shall be in Category 340-D

\16\.

341..................................... 186,703 dozen.

342/642................................. 233,549 dozen.

345..................................... 125,460 dozen.

347/348................................. 477,828 dozen.

350..................................... 17,860 dozen.

351/651................................. 245,349 dozen.

352..................................... 190,924 dozen.

359-H................................... 2,750,450 kilograms.

433..................................... 14,036 dozen.

434..................................... 7,199 dozen.

435..................................... 35,741 dozen.

436..................................... 15,130 dozen.

438..................................... 60,660 dozen.

440..................................... 200,091 dozen.

442..................................... 51,130 dozen.

443..................................... 322,056 numbers.

444..................................... 55,716 numbers.

445/446................................. 52,656 dozen.

447..................................... 89,837 dozen.

448..................................... 35,970 dozen.

459-W................................... 97,301 kilograms.

631..................................... 322,373 dozen pairs.

633/634/635............................. 1,364,532 dozen of which not

more than 154,735 dozen

shall be in Category 633

and not more than 576,650

dozen shall be in Category

635.

636..................................... 277,412 dozen.

638/639................................. 5,312,601 dozen.

640-D \17\.............................. 3,159,330 dozen.

640-O \18\.............................. 2,632,774 dozen.

641..................................... 1,062,809 dozen of which not

more than 40,145 dozen

shall be in Category 641-Y

\19\.

643..................................... 787,380 numbers.

644..................................... 1,184,579 numbers.

645/646................................. 3,618,976 dozen.

647/648................................. 1,347,261 dozen.

650..................................... 26,135 dozen.

659-H................................... 1,369,574 kilograms.

659-S................................... 192,200 kilograms.

Group III

831, 833-838, 840-844, 847-858 and 17,443,884 square meters

859pt. \20\, as a group. equivalent.

Sublevel within Group III

835..................................... 29,007 dozen.

Group IV

845..................................... 2,315,056 dozen.

846..................................... 819,974 dozen.

[[Page 56007]]

Group VI

369-L/670-L/870 \21\.................... 75,768,515 square meters

equivalent.

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

\1\ Category 224-V: only HTS numbers 5801.21.0000, 5801.23.0000,

5801.24.0000, 5801.25.0010, 5801.25.0020, 5801.26.0010, 5801.26.0020,

5801.31.0000, 5801.33.0000, 5801.34.0000, 5801.35.0010, 5801.35.0020,

5801.36.0010 and 5801.36,0020.

\2\ Category 224-O: all remaining HTS numbers in Category 224.

\3\ Category 369pt.: all HTS numbers except 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020,

4202.12.8060, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091, 6307.90.9905,

(Category 369-L); 5601.10.1000, 5601.21.0090, 5701.90.1020,

5701.90.2020, 5702.10.9020, 5702.39.2010, 5702.49.1020, 5702.49.1080,

5702.59.1000, 5702.99.1010, 5702.99.1090, 5705.00.2020 and

6406.10.7700.

\4\ Category 469pt.: all HTS numbers except 5601.29.0020, 5603.94.1010

and 6406.10.9020.

\5\ Category 669-P: only HTS numbers 6305.32.0010, 6305.32.0020,

6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020 and 6305.39.0000.

\6\ Category 669pt.: all HTS numbers except 6305.32.0010, 6305.32.0020,

6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020, 6305.39.0000 (Category 669-P);

5601.10.2000, 5601.22.0090, 5607.49.3000, 5607.50.4000 and

6406.10.9040.

\7\ Category 670-O: All HTS numbers except only HTS numbers

4202.12.8030, 4202.12.8070, 4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3031, 4202.92.9026

and 6307.90.9907 (Category 670-L).

\8\ Category 239pt.: only HTS number 6209.20.5040 (diapers).

\9\ Category 359-H: only HTS numbers 6505.90.1540 and 6505.90.2060.

\10\ Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6505.90.1540, 6505.20.2060

(Category 359-H); and 6406.99.1550.

\11\ Category 459-W: only HTS number 6505.90.4090.

\12\ Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6505.90.4090 (Category 459-

W); 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and

6406.99.1560.

\13\ Category 659-H: only HTS numbers 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015,

6504.00.9060, 6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090 and

6505.90.8090.

\14\ Category 659-S: 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.

\15\ Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015,

6504.00.9060, 6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090, 6505.90.8090

(Category 659-H); 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, 6211.12.1020 (Category 659-S); 6406.99.1510 and

6406.99.1540.

\16\ Category 340-D: only HTS numbers 6205.20.2015, 6205.20.2020,

6205.20.2025 and 6205.20.2030.

\17\ Category 640-D: only HTS numbers 6205.30.2010, 6205.30.2020,

6205.30.2030, 6205.30.2040, 6205.90.3030 and 6205.90.4030.

\18\ Category 640-O: only HTS numbers 6203.23.0080, 6203.29.2050,

6205.30.1000, 6205.30.2050, 6205.30.2060, 6205.30.2070, 6205.30.2080

and 6211.33.0040.

\19\ Category 641-Y: only HTS numbers 6204.23.0050, 6204.29.2030,

6206.40.3010 and 6206.40.3025.

\20\ Category 859pt.: only HTS numbers 6115.19.8040, 6117.10.6020,

6212.10.5030, 6212.10.9040, 6212.20.0030, 6212.30.0030, 6212.90.0090,

6214.10.2000 and 6214.90.0090.

\21\ Category 870; Category 369-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.4000,

4202.12.8020, 4202.12.8060, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091

and 6307.90.9905; Category 670-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.8030,

4202.12.8070, 4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3031, 4202.92.9026 and

6307.90.9907.

The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to

the provisions of the ATC and administrative arrangements notified

to the Textiles Monitoring Body.

Products in the above categories exported during 1998 shall be

charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see

directive dated December 22, 1997) to the extent of any unfilled

balances. In the event the limits established for that period have

been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged

to the limits set forth in this directive.

The conversion factors for the following merged categories are

listed below:

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

Conversion factor (Square

Category meters equivalent/category

unit)

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

333/334/335............................... 33.75

369-L/670-L/870........................... 3.8

633/634/635............................... 34.1

638/639................................... 12.96

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

Effective on January 1, 1999, a visa will no longer be required

for products from WTO member countries integrated in the second

stage of the integration of textiles and clothing into GATT 1994

(see directive dated September 30, 1998). Non-integrated products

shall continue to require a visa. For quota purposes only, products

remaining in categories partially integrated will continue to be

designated by the designator ``pt.''

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. 98-28078 Filed 10-19-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F