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NOTICE: NOTICES

ACTION: Cotton, wool, and man-made textiles:

DOCUMENT ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection establishing limits.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: December 12, 2003. AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

EFFECTIVE DATES: January 1, 2004.

SUMMARY: Belarus,

SUPPLEMENTAL 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 Bilateral Textile Memorandum of Understanding dated January 10, 2003 between the Governments of the United States and Belarus establishes limits for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

These limits may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Belarus.

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the limits.

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 68 FR 1599, published on January 13, 2003). Information regarding the availability of the 2004 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 12, 2003.
Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, 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; you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 2004, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of textiles and textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in Belarus and exported during the twelvemonth period beginning on January 1, 2004 and extending through December 31, 2004:
Category Twelvemonth restraint limit 622....................................... 9,646,000 square meters of which not more than 1,590,000 square meters shall be in Category 622L \1\.
435....................................... 67,320 dozen.
448....................................... 34,680 dozen.
\1\ Category 622L: only HTS numbers 7019.51.9010, 7019.52.4010, 7019.52.9010, 7019.59.4010, and 7019.59.9010.

Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be charged to the applicable category limit and sublimit for that year (see directive dated January 21, 2003) to the extent of any unfilled balance. In the event the limit and sublimit established for that period have been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged to the limit and sublimit set forth in this directive.

The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the United States and Belarus.

This limits may be revised if Belarus becomes a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO agreement to Belarus.

In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection 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 this action falls within the foreign affairs exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).

Sincerely,
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Naomi Freeman, International Trade Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 4824212. 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) 9275850, or refer to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Web site at http://www.customs.gov. For information on embargoes and quota reopenings, refer to the Office of Textiles and Apparel Web site at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.