CSMS Message: 00-000889

TO: ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM: MITCHEL LANDAU

SUBJECT: MIS-MARKING FOR WEARING APPAREL

DATE: 08/10/2000

MARKING WEARING APPAREL INTERVENTION
THE NEW YORK STRATEGIC TRADE CENTER (STC) BEGAN AN INTERVENTION
ON COUNTRY OF ORIGIN MARKING FOR THE WEARING APPAREL PRIMARY
FOCUS INDUSTRY (PFI) ON AUGUST 10, 2000. DURING THE FIRST PHASE,
INFORMED COMPLIANCE LETTERS INCLUDING THE INFORMED COMPLIANCE
PUBLICATION (ICP) MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR WEARING APPAREL
(DEVELOPED BY THE NATIONAL COMMODITY SPECIALIST DIVISION) ARE
BEING MAILED. RECIPIENTS INCLUDE ALL NATIONAL AND PORT ACCOUNTS
FOR THIS MERCHANDISE, THE REMAINING TOP 500 WEARING APPAREL
IMPORTERS AND ALL COMPANIES WITH A MARKING DISCREPANCY AS A
RESULT OF THE FY99 COMPLIANCE MEASUREMENT EXAMS. NOTE, NATIONAL
ACCOUNT MANAGERS AND/OR PORT ACCOUNT TEAMS WILL RECEIVE A COPY
OF THE LETTER AND ICP SENT TO THEIR ACCOUNTS VIA E-MAIL. THE
PURPOSE IS TO CALL ATTENTION TO A PATTERN OF DISCREPANCIES AND
NON-COMPLIANCE INVOLVING COUNTRY OF ORIGIN MARKING WITHIN THE
WEARING APPAREL PFI. THE LETTERS DISCUSS THE PATTERNS OF
NON-COMPLIANCE FOUND NATIONWIDE, AND URGE IMPORTERS TO ENSURE
THEIR INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS ARE FREE FROM THESE ERRORS. THE
LETTER ALSO REQUESTS EACH IMPORTER SEND A COPY OF THE LETTER TO
THEIR BROKERS/FILERS, AS WELL AS TO FOREIGN SUPPLIERS OF
MERCHANDISE, TO FURTHER INFORM ALL PARTIES.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DAYS AFTER ISSUANCE OF THE INFORMED
COMPLIANCE LETTERS, THE NEW YORK STC WILL BEGIN A QUARTERLY
REVIEW OF ALL DISCREPANT FINDINGS INCLUDING COMPLIANCE
MEASUREMENT EXAMS, TARGETED CARGO EXAMS AND ENTRY SUMMARY
REVIEWS IN THE WEARING APPAREL PFI. ANY IMPORTER FOUND TO HAVE
REPEATED DISCREPANCIES, WHICH ARE THE SAME AS THE DISCREPANCIES
OUTLINED IN THE INITIAL LETTER MAY BE REFERRED FOR THE
APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP ACTION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER, PLEASE CONTACT
INTERNATIONAL TRADE SPECIALIST MITCHEL LANDAU AT THE NEW YORK
STC AT (212) 637-7733.