Establishment of Import Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

AGENCY:

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

Action:

Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection establishing limits

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Naomi Freeman, 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, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Web site at http://www.customs.gov. For information on embargoes and quota re-openings, refer to the Office of Textiles and Apparel Web site at http://otexa.ita.doc.gov.

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 Bilateral Textile Agreement of July 17, 2000 between the Governments of the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, establishes limits for certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textiles and textile products, produced or manufactured in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and exported during the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

Carryforward applied to the 2003 limits has been deducted from all categories. Any categories which did not use all carryforward in 2003 will be re-credited back the unused amount later in 2004.

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish the 2004 limits.

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

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 2004 CORRELATION will be published in the Federal Register at a later date.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

December 10, 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); and Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended, and the bilateral textile agreement of July 17, 2003, between the Governments of the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, you are directed to prohibit, effective on January 1, 2004, entry into the United States for consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton, wool and man-made fiber textiles and textile products in the following categories, produced or manufactured in Vietnam and exported during the twelve-month period beginning on January 1, 2004 and extending through December 31, 2004 in excess of the following levels of restraint:

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

Products in the above categories exported during 2003 shall be charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see directive dated May 12, 2003) 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.

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

In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner 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 these actions fall 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.