| Title: | CATEGORY DESIGNATION PT |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1999-11-19 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : ROBERT ZZ-DORSETT
SUBJECT : TEX-CATEGORY DESIGNATION PT
DATE : 11/18/1999
NOVEMBER 18, 1999
SPE-2 FO:TP:TA:TT JRD
CATEGORY: TEX
TO : ALL DIRECTORS, FIELD OPERATIONS, PORT
DIRECTORS,
ASSISTANT PORT DIRECTORS, TRADE PROGRAMS AND
STRATEGIC TRADE CENTER (STC) DIRECTORS
FROM : DIRECTOR, TRADE PROGRAMS
PASS TO : ALL IMPORT SPECIALISTS, NATIONAL IMPORT
SPECIALISTS,
ENTRY OFFICERS, INSPECTORS, INTERNATIONAL TRADE
SPECIALISTS, BROKERS, IMPORTERS AND OTHER
INTERESTED PARTIES
SUBJECT: TBT-99-051 EXPLANATION OF "PT" AS USED FOR PART
CATEGORIES
FOR TEXTILE VISAS
COUNTRY: ALL
NOTE: THIS TBT IS ISSUED TO UPDATE INFORMATION FOR THE FIELD.
BACKGROUND
TEXTILE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING STAGES OF
INTEGRATION INTO THE GENERAL COMMERCE SINCE 1995, AND THE
INTEGRATION IS SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE UNTIL ALL QUOTA AND
VISA RESTRAINTS ARE PHASED OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF 2005.
THE INTEGRATION IS USUALLY BY CATEGORY NUMBER FOR ALL
PRODUCTS CLASSIFIED IN THE CATEGORY.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS (CURRENTLY 239PT,
359PT, 659PT, AND 859PT). FOR EXAMPLE, CATEGORY 239
(INFANT WEARING APPAREL) WAS INTEGRATED, EXCEPT FOR BABY
DIAPERS. THIS MEANS THAT ALL PRODUCTS IN CATEGORY 239
EXCEPT FOR BABY DIAPERS ARE NO LONGER SUBJECT TO QUOTA
AND VISA RESTRAINTS. THE INTEGRATION APPLIES ONLY TO
SIGNATORIES TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO). AT
PRESENT, SOME MAJOR PRODUCERS (E.G., CHINA, TAIWAN, ETC.)
ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE WTO. THE RESULT IS THAT ALL OF
CATEGORY 239 FROM CHINA IS SUBJECT TO QUOTA AND VISA, BUT
ONLY PART OF CATEGORY 239 (BABY DIAPERS) FROM THE
PHILIPPINES (A MEMBER OF THE WTO) IS SUBJECT TO QUOTA AND
VISA.
TO INDICATE THE FACT THAT PART OF CATEGORY 239 IS SUBJECT
TO VISA FOR WTO MEMBERS, THE COMMITTEE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS (CITA) USES THE
DESIGNATION "PT", E.G., CATEGORY 239PT.
IT HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE TEXTILES AND
TRANSSHIPMENT BRANCH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE FIELD
IS CONFUSED ABOUT THIS DESIGNATION AND ON OCCASION HAS
REQUIRED "PT" ON THE VISA AS REQUIRED FOR A SUBPART OF A
CATEGORY. THE "PT" DOES NOT INDICATE A SUBPART FOR A
CATEGORY. IT IS NOT REQUIRED ON A VISA. CATEGORY 239 IS
STILL THE CATEGORY NUMBER IN THE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS,
NOT 239PT. THE DESIGNATION OF "PT" IS USED ONLY FOR
INDICATING TO CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ADMINISTERING THE QUOTA
AND VISA REQUIREMENTS THAT SOME OF THE PRODUCTS IN THAT
CATEGORY HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED. THE DESIGNATION "PT" IS
NOT REQUIRED ON TEXTILE EXPORT VISAS. ONLY THE
DESIGNATION 239 IS REQUIRED ON THE VISA.
ACTION
THE DESIGNATION OF "PT" AFTER A CATEGORY NUMBER IS ONLY A
DESIGNATION USED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR CUSTOMS
ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUOTA AND VISA SYSTEMS RELATIVE TO
INTEGRATED PRODUCTS. IT SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED ON THE
VISA.
INFORMATION
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THIS TBT, PLEASE
CONTACT BILL TRUJILLO AT (202) 927-1959, ALYCE MODESTO AT
927-1279, ALLEN KENT AT 927-0057 OR BOB DORSETT AT
927-7002, TRADE PROGRAMS.
ELIZABETH G. DURANT