68 FR 165 pgs. 51250-51251 - Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China

Type: NOTICEVolume: 68Number: 165Pages: 51250 - 51251
FR document: [FR Doc. 03-21745 Filed 8-25-03; 8:45 am]
Agency: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Amendment of Export Visa Requirements for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China

August 20, 2003.

AGENCY:

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION:

Issuing a directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection providing for the use of a new textile export license/commercial invoice bearing a new watermark.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 1, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roy Unger, 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.

The Governments of the United States and the People's Republic of China have agreed to amend the existing export visa requirements to provide for the use of a new textile export license/commercial invoice, issued by the Government of the People's Republic of China, for shipments of goods produced or manufactured in China and exported from China on and after January 1, 2004. The new license/invoice will bear a watermark issued by "the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China." This replaces the old watermark issued by "the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation." The visa stamp is not being changed at this time.

Shipments of textile and apparel products which are produced or manufactured in China and exported from China during the period January 1, 2004 through January 31, 2004 may be accompanied by a visa bearing either the old or new watermark, as described above.

Products exported on and after February 1, 2004 must be accompanied by an export visa issued by the Government of the People's Republic of China bearing the new watermark, as described above.

The requirements for ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information System) remain unchanged.

See 62 FR 15465, published on April 1, 1997.

James C. Leonard III,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

August 20, 2003.

Commissioner,

Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC 20229.

Dear Commissioner: This directive amends, but does not cancel, the directive issued to you on March 27, 1997, by the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. That directive establishes an export visa arrangement for certain cotton, wool, man-made fiber, silk blend, and other vegetable fiber textiles and textile products, produced or manufactured in the People's Republic of China.

Effective on January 1, 2004, for products exported from China on or after January 1, 2004, you are directed to amend the March 27, 1997 directive to provide for the use of export licenses/commercial invoices issued by the Government of the People's Republic of China which bear the watermark "the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China." This watermark replaces the old watermark issued by "the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation."

To facilitate implementation of this amendment to the export licensing system, you are directed to permit entry of textile products, produced or manufactured in China and exported from China during the period January 1, 2004 through January 31, 2004, for which the Government of the People's Republic of China has issued an export license/commercial invoice bearing either the old or new watermarks, as described above.

Products exported on and after February 1, 2004 must be accompanied by an export visa issued by the Government of the People's Republic of China bearing the new watermark, as described above.

The requirements for ELVIS (Electronic Visa Information System) remain unchanged.

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,

James C. Leonard III,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 03-21745 Filed 8-25-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S