New Export Visa Stamp for Certain Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the Republic of Maldives

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

New Export Visa Stamp for Certain Textile Products Produced or

Manufactured in the Republic of Maldives

January 19, 1999.

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: January 27, 1999.

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: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as

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

amended.

Effective on January 27, 1999, a new export visa stamp will be

required for shipments of textile products, produced or manufactured in

Maldives and exported from Maldives on or after December 10, 1998. The

new stamp reflects the name change of ``CUSTOMS MALDIVES'' to

``MALDIVES CUSTOMS SERVICE'' but is otherwise unchanged. There will be

a grace period from December 10, 1998 through February 28, 1999, during

which products exported from Maldives may be accompanied by either the

old or new export visa stamp. Products exported from Maldives on or

after March 1, 1999 must be accompanied by the new export visa stamp.

A facsimile of the new visa stamp is on file at the U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., room 3104, Washington,

DC.

See 47 FR 36879, published on August 24, 1982.

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

January 19, 1999.

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 August 18, 1982, as amended, by the

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

That directive directed you to prohibit entry of certain cotton,

wool and man-made fiber apparel, produced or manufactured in

Maldives for which the Government of the Republic of Maldives has

not issued an appropriate export visa.

Effective on January 27, 1999, you are directed to amend further

the directive dated August 18, 1982 to provide for the use of a new

export visa stamp issued by the Government of the Republic of

Maldives to accompany shipments of textile products, produced or

manufactured in Maldives and exported from Maldives on or after

December 10, 1998. This new visa stamp reflects the name change of

``CUSTOMS MALDIVES'' to ``MALDIVES CUSTOMS SERVICE'' but is

otherwise unchanged.

Textile products exported from Maldives during the period

December 10, 1998 through February 28, 1999 may be accompanied by

either the old or new export visa stamp. Products exported from

Maldives on or after

[[Page 3685]]

March 1, 1999 must be accompanied by the new export visa stamp.

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

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,

D. Michael Hutchinson,

Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements.

[FR Doc. 99-1532 Filed 1-22-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F