MESSAGE NO: 9209117 DATE: 07 28 1999
CATEGORY: ADA TYPE: INF
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: A - 462 - 809 - -
- - - -
- - - -

PERIOD COVERED: 07 12 1999 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: DIRECTORS OF FIELD OPERATIONS
PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, TRADE ENFORCEMENT & CONTROL

RE: AGREEMENT CONCERNING TRADE IN CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS FROM
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION


1. ON JULY 12, 1999, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ENTERED INTO AN
AGREEMENT CONCERNING TRADE IN CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS FROM
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ("THE AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN STEEL
PRODUCTS FROM RUSSIA"). THIS AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED PURSUANT
TO LEGAL AUTHORITY UNDER SECTION 125 OF THE TRADE ACT OF
1974 AND THE 1990 AGREEMENT ON TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. ON
JULY 22, 1999, PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED A PROCLAMATION,
PROCLAIMING THE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED IN THE
AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS FROM RUSSIA.

2. THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES ANNUAL EXPORT LIMITS FOR FIFTEEN
CATEGORIES OF CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS FROM RUSSIA NOT
CURRENTLY COVERED BY ANTIDUMPING/COUNTERVAILING DUTY ORDERS
OR ANTIDUMPING/COUNTERVAILING DUTY SUSPENSION AGREEMENTS.


3. FOR THE FOLLOWING FOUR CATEGORIES OF CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS
FROM RUSSIA, THE AGREED QUOTA IS ZERO; THEREFORE THE U.S.
CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL DENY ENTRY TO ANY SHIPMENTS OF THIS
MERCHANDISE ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE OR ATTEMPTED
TO BE ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON
OR AFTER JULY 22, 1999, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY AN EXPORT LICENSE. CUSTOMS OFFICERS SHALL
ALSO INFORM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE OF SUCH SHIPMENTS
PRESENTED FOR ENTRY, VIA E-MAIL THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE
SUPERVISORY CHANNELS, OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIAISON, USING
THE ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS ARE
PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE AND CUSTOMS PURPOSES, THE WRITTEN
DESCRIPTION OF THE MERCHANDISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS
DISPOSITIVE.

A) OTHER METALLIC COATED FLAT ROLLED PRODUCTS ARE DEFINED AS
THE FOLLOWING: HOT-ROLLED OR COLD-ROLLED FLAT-ROLLED
PRODUCTS, EITHER IN COILS (REGARDLESS OF DIMENSION) OR IN
STRAIGHT LENGTHS (IF OF A THICKNESS LESS THAN LESS THAN 4.75
MM ARE OF A WIDTH MEASURING AT LEAST 10 TIMES THE THICKNESS
OR IF OF A THICKNESS OF 4.75 MM OR MORE ARE OF A WIDTH WHICH
EXCEEDS 150 MM AND MEASURES AT LEAST TWICE THE THICKNESS),
WITH A METALLIC COATING (OTHER THAN ZINC, TIN, CHROMIUM
OXIDES, OR CHROMIUM AND CHROMIUM OXIDES), OR CLAD, WITH
METALS SUCH AS ALUMINUM, LEAD, ALUMINUM-ZINC ALLOYS, AND
NICKEL, REGARDLESS OF ANY ADDITIONAL COATINGS (E.G., PAINT,
VARNISH, OR PLASTICS). THE MERCHANDISE SUBJECT TO THIS
AGREEMENT IS CLASSIFIED IN THE HTSUS AT SUBHEADINGS:
7210.20.0000, 7210.61.0000, 7210.69.0000, 7210.70.6090,
7210.90.6000, 7210.90.9000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000,
7212.50.0000, 7212.60.0000, 7225.99.0090, AND 7226.99.0000.
OTHER METALLIC COATED FLAT-ROLLED PRODUCTS REFLECT AISI
CATEGORY 34 (METALLIC SHEET AND STRIP).

B) RAILS ARE DEFINED AS THE FOLLOWING: RAILS, WHETHER OR NOT
USED, FOR RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY CONSTRUCTION AND REPLACEMENT.
THIS INCLUDES LOAD-BEARING RAILS SUCH AS STANDARD T, LIGHT,
CRANE, AND GIRDER RAILS, AND CONDUCTOR OR ELECTRICAL RAILS.
THE MERCHANDISE SUBJECT TO THIS AGREEMENT IS CLASSIFIED IN
THE HTSUS AT SUBHEADINGS: 7302.10.1010, 7302.10.1015,
7302.10.1025, 7302.10.1035, 7302.10.1045, 7302.10.1055,
7302.10.1065, 7302.10.1075, 7302.10.5020, 7302.10.5040, AND
7302.10.5060. RAILS REFLECT AISI CATEGORIES 7 (STANDARD
RAILS), 8 (OTHER RAILS), AND 41 (USED RAILS).


C) CERTAIN TIN MILL PRODUCTS ARE DEFINED AS THE FOLLOWING:
HOT-ROLLED OR COLD-ROLLED FLAT-ROLLED PRODUCTS, EITHER IN
COILS (REGARDLESS OF DIMENSION) OR IN STRAIGHT LENGTHS (IF
OF A THICKNESS LESS THAN 4.75 MM ARE OF A WIDTH MEASURING AT
LEAST 10 TIMES THE THICKNESS OR IF OF A THICKNESS OF 4.75 MM
OR MORE ARE OF A WIDTH WHICH EXCEEDS 150 MM AND MEASURES AT
LEAST TWICE THE THICKNESS), WITH A METALLIC PLATING OF TIN,
CHROMIUM OXIDES, OR CHROMIUM AND CHROMIUM OXIDES, REGARDLESS
OF ANY ADDITIONAL COATINGS (E.G., PAINT, VARNISH, OR
PLASTICS). THE MERCHANDISE SUBJECT TO THIS AGREEMENT IS
CLASSIFIED IN THE HTSUS AT SUBHEADINGS: 7210.11.0000,
7210.12.0000, 7210.50.0000, AND 7212.10.0000. CERTAIN TIN
MILL PRODUCTS REFLECT AISI CATEGORIES 29 (TIN PLATE) AND 29A
(TIN-FREE SHEET).

D) WIRE ROD PRODUCTS ARE DEFINED AS THE FOLLOWING: HOT-
ROLLED BARS AND RODS, WHETHER OF ALLOY (OTHER THAN TOOL
STEEL AS DEFINED BY THE HTSUS) OR NON-ALLOY STEEL, IN
IRREGULARLY WOUND COILS, WHICH HAVE A SOLID CROSS SECTION,
GENERALLY ROUND IN CROSS-SECTIONAL SHAPE. THE MERCHANDISE
SUBJECT TO THIS AGREEMENT IS CLASSIFIED IN THE HTSUS AT
SUBHEADINGS: 7213.91.3000, 7213.91.4500, 7213.91.6000,
7213.99.0030, 7213.99.0090, 7221.00.0015, AND 7221.00.0030.
WIRE ROD PRODUCTS REFLECT AISI CATEGORY 3 (WIRE ROD).

4. CUSTOMS OFFICERS WILL SOON RECEIVE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXPORT LICENSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
SHIPMENTS OF THE OTHER ELEVEN CATEGORIES OF PRODUCTS COVERED
BY THE AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN STEEL PRODUCTS FROM RUSSIA. NO
EXPORT LICENSES WILL BE REQUIRED ON SHIPMENTS OF THESE
PRODUCTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE FOR CONSUMPTION
ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 31, 1999.

5. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS
OFFICERS, PLEASE CONTACT VIA E-MAIL, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE
SUPERVISORY CHANNELS, OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIAISON, USING
THE ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." THE IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER
INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT JEAN KEMP, AD/CVD
ENFORCEMENT, IMPORT ADMINISTRATION, INTERNATIONAL TRADE
ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AT (202) 482-
1131.


PAUL SCHWARTZ