Adjustment of Import Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in Cambodia

AGENCY:

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION:

Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs increasing limits.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

September 19, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roy Unger, 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 U.S. Customs website at http://www.customs.gov. 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. In a notice and letter to the Commissioner of Customs published in the Federal Register on May 12, 2000 (65 FR 30571), the Government of the United States increased the limits for all quota categories as a result of the Royal Government of Cambodia's progress in improving working conditions in the Cambodian textile and apparel industries through increased compliance with internationally recognized core labor standards through the application of Cambodian labor law. The limits are being increased further because of Cambodia's continued efforts in this area. 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 64 FR 71982, published on December 22, 1999). Also see 64 FR 70217, published on December 16, 1999.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

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 10, 1999. That directive concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and man-made fiber textile products, produced or manufactured in Cambodia and exported during the twelve-month period which began on January 1, 2000 and extends through December 31, 2000.

Effective on September 19, 2000, you are directed to increase the current limits for the following categories, as provided for under the terms of the current bilateral textile agreement between the Governments of the United States and Cambodia:

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).