Adjustment of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Thailand

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Adjustment of Import Restraint Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool,

Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textile Products

Produced or Manufactured in Thailand

November 12, 1998.

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

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs adjusting

limits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: November 18, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross Arnold, 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: 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 current limits for certain categories are being adjusted,

variously, for carryover, carryforward, recrediting unused

carryforward, and carryforward used.

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). Also see

62 FR 65246, published on December 11, 1997.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 12, 1998.

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, 1997, 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 Thailand and exported during the twelve-

month period which began on January 1, 1998 and extends through

December 31, 1998.

Effective on November 18, 1998, you are directed to adjust the

limits for the following categories, as provided for under the

Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and Clothing:

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

Adjusted twelve-month limit

Category \1\

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

Group II

237, 331-348, 350-352, 359-H \2\, 359pt. 322,661,640 square meters

\3\, 431, 433-438, 440, 442-448, 459pt. equivalent.

\4\, 631, 633-652, 659-H \5\, 659pt. \6\,

831, 833-838, 840-858 and 859pt. \7\, as

a group.

Sublevels in Group II

338/339................................... 2,315,889 dozen.

638/639................................... 2,200,813 dozen.

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

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

exported after December 31, 1997.

\2\ Category 359-H: only HTS numbers 6505.90.1540 and 6505.90.2060.

\3\ Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except 6505.90.1540, 6505.90.2060

(Category 359-H); and 6406.99.1550.

\4\ Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except 6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060,

6405.20.6090, 6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560.

\5\ 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.

\6\ 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); 6406.99.1510 and 6406.99.1540.

\7\ 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.

[[Page 64071]]

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has

determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs

exception to 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. 98-30803 Filed 11-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F