General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): Textile and clothing products intergration into World Trade Organization (second stage),

Text

---

Federal Register: October 7, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 194)NoticesPage 53881-53883From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr07oc98-52

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.

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

Category

1998 HTS

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

Footwear

Category

1998 HTS

359....................................... 6406991550 459....................................... 6405206030 459....................................... 6405206060 459....................................... 6405206090 459....................................... 6406991505 459....................................... 6406991560 659....................................... 6406991510 659....................................... 6406991540 859....................................... 6406991570

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

II. Whole Categories Integrated January 1, 1998

Category

1998 HTS

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

FR Doc. 98-26802Filed10-6-98; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 3510-DR-F

---