[Federal Register: December 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 247)]
[Notices]
[Page 77388-77389]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26de06-41]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Determination under the African Growth and Opportunity Act
December 18, 2006.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA)
ACTION: Directive to the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.
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SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
(CITA) has determined that certain textile and apparel goods from Niger
shall be treated as ``handloomed, handmade, folklore articles, or
ethnic printed fabrics'' and qualify for preferential treatment under
the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Imports of eligible products
from Niger with an appropriate visa will qualify for duty-free
treatment.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 3, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Flaaten, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: Sections 112(a) and 112(b)(6) of the African Growth
and Opportunity Act (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of
2000, Pub. L. No. 106-200) (``AGOA''), as amended by Section 7(c) of
the AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-274) (``AGOA
Acceleration Act'') (19 U.S.C. Sec. 3721(a) and (b)(6)); Sections 2
and 5 of Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001; Sections 25-
27 and Paras. 13-14 of Presidential Proclamation 7912 of June 29,
2005.
AGOA provides preferential tariff treatment for imports of certain
textile and apparel products of beneficiary sub-Saharan African
countries, including handloomed, handmade, or folklore articles of a
beneficiary country that are certified as such by the competent
authority in the beneficiary country. The AGOA Acceleration Act further
expanded AGOA by adding ethnic printed fabrics to the list of textile
and apparel products made in the beneficiary sub-Saharan African
countries that may be eligible for the preferential treatment described
in section 112(a) of the AGOA. In Executive Order 13191 (January 17,
2001) and Presidential Proclamation 7912 (June 29, 2005), the President
authorized CITA to consult with beneficiary sub-Saharan African
countries and to determine which, if any, particular textile and
apparel goods shall be treated as being hand-loomed, handmade, folklore
articles, or ethnic printed fabrics. (66 FR 7271-72 and 70 FR 37959,
37961 & 63)
In a letter to the Commissioner of Customs dated January 18, 2001,
the United States Trade Representative directed Customs to require that
importers provide an appropriate export visa from a beneficiary sub-
Saharan African country to obtain preferential treatment under section
112(a) of the AGOA (66 FR 7837). The first digit of the visa number
corresponds to one of nine groupings of textile and apparel products
that are eligible for preferential tariff treatment. Grouping ``9'' is
reserved for handmade, handloomed, folklore articles, or ethnic printed
fabrics.
CITA has consulted with Nigerien authorities and has determined
that handloomed fabrics, handloomed articles (e.g., handloomed rugs,
scarves, place mats, and tablecloths), handmade articles made from
handloomed fabrics, and the folklore articles described in Annex A and
ethnic printed fabric described in Annex B to this notice, if produced
in and exported from Niger, are eligible for preferential tariff
treatment under section 112(a) of the AGOA, as amended. After further
consultations with Nigerien authorities, CITA may determine that
additional textile and apparel goods shall be treated as folklore
articles or ethnic printed fabrics. In the letter published below, CITA
directs the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection to allow
duty-free entry of such products under U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule
subheading 9819.11.27 if accompanied by an appropriate AGOA visa in
grouping ``9''.
Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements.
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
December 18, 2006.
Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC 20229.
Dear Commissioner: The Committee for the Implementation of
Textiles Agreements (``CITA''), pursuant to Sections 112(a) and
(b)(6) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Title I of the
Trade and Development Act of 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-200) (``AGOA''),
as amended by Section 7(c) of the AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004
(Pub. L. 108-274) (``AGOA Acceleration Act``) (19 U.S.C. Sec.
3721(a) and (b)(6)), Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001,
and Presidential Proclamation 7912 of June 29, 2005, has determined,
effective on January 3, 2007, that the following articles shall be
treated as ``handloomed, handmade, folklore articles, and ethnic
printed fabrics'' under the AGOA:
[[Page 77389]]
(a) handloomed fabrics, handloomed articles (e.g., handloomed rugs,
scarves, placemats, and tablecloths), and handmade articles made
from handloomed fabrics, if made in Niger from fabric handloomed in
Niger; (b) the folklore articles described in Annex A; and (c)
ethnic printed fabrics described in Annex B if made in Niger. Such
articles are eligible for duty-free treatment only if entered under
subheading 9819.11.27 and accompanied by a properly completed visa
for product grouping ``9'', in accordance with the provisions of the
Visa Arrangement between the Government of Niger and the Government
of the United States Concerning Textile and Apparel Articles
Claiming Preferential Tariff Treatment under Section 112 of the
Trade and Development Act of 2000. After further consultations with
Nigerien authorities, CITA may determine that additional textile and
apparel goods shall be treated as folklore articles or ethnic
printed fabrics.
Sincerely,
Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements.
ANNEX A: Nigerien Folklore Products
CITA has determined that the following textile and apparel goods
shall be treated as folklore articles for purposes of the AGOA if
such goods are made in Niger. Articles must be ornamented in
characteristic Nigerien or regional folk style. An article may not
include modern features such as zippers, elastic, elasticized
fabrics, snaps, or hook-and-pile fasteners (such as velcroc or
similar holding fabric). An article may not incorporate patterns
that are not traditional or historical to Niger, such as airplanes,
buses, cowboys, or cartoon characters and may not incorporate
designs referencing holidays or festivals not common to traditional
Nigerien culture, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Eligible folklore articles:
(a) Tera-Tera Blanket/Tapestry: Strips of handloomed fabric, usually
4 1/2 inches wide, hand or machine sewn together to make a larger
piece of fabric, dyed with natural dyes, striped. Uses include
blankets, bedspreads, interior decoration accessories, and are used
in traditional marriage ceremonies.
(b) Boubou with hand-stitched embroidery: Made of handloomed strips
of fabric, hand or machine sewn together, as described in (a), the
garment is a traditional smock and may be accompanied by matching
trousers. The garment is a natural cotton color, has an asymmetrical
neckline and typically a center chest pocket immediately below the
neckline. The front and back of the neckline is embellished in gray
and blue hand-stitched embroidery
(c) Ladies' Boubou Style Dresses: This ladies' dress is a loose-
fitting garment with large open armholes, may come with matching
scarf, and is of bright solid colored machine-made fabric, or a
machine-made lace-type fabric. Garment is decorated with hand or
machine-sewn embroidery around the round or U-shaped neckline and
the back of the shoulder, often in a cross-patterned motif. The
garment may be full or half-length.
(d) Fulani Wodabe Loincloth/Wrap Skirt: This single piece of fabric
garment is made of handloomed cotton strips of fabric, left in a
natural cotton color, or dyed with a deep blue or black natural
dyes. The wrap is heavily decorated with embroidery of colorful
yarns along bottom hem and may be trimmed in a geometric-shaped
machine-made fabric applique. The wrap also has fringes on two ends.
Size measures approximately 1 x 1.5 meters.
(e) Touareg Trousers: Loose-fitting men's trousers made of solid-
colored machine-made fabric. Garments have side-seam pockets and are
embroidered along the bottom cuff and/or down side-seam.
(f) Ladies Wodabe Embroidered Shirt and Wrap Skirt: Straight-seamed,
sleeveless shirt and accompanying wrap skirt, it is made of machine-
made shiny cotton fabric, embellished with embroidery down the
center front and bottom hem of wrap skirt.
(g) Fulani Wodabe Traditional Dress: This garment is made of hand-
woven strips of fabric hand-sewn together left in a natural cotton
color, or dyed black using natural dyes. The entire garment is
embellished with embroidery in white, orange, green and yellow
thread, and may have leather tassels and sea shells attached to
sleeves or bottom hem. Edges may be trimmed with a geometric-shaped
machine-made fabric applique. The garment comes in various lengths.
1. Men's traditional dress: Garment has a neck hole and drapes
on the front and the back to approximately mid-thigh, sides open,
and has a body armor-type appearance.
2. Women's traditional shirt and wrap skirt: Garment is
straight-seamed, sleeveless shirt with a U-shaped neckline,
extending down to the waistline. Garment may come with matching wrap
skirt.
ANNEX B: Nigerien Ethnic Printed Fabrics
Each ethnic print must meet all of the criteria listed below:
A) selvedge on both edges
B) width of less than 50 inches
C) classifiable under subheading 5208.52.30 \1\or 5208.52.40 \2\
of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
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\1\ printed plain weave fabrics of cotton, 85% or more cotton by
weight, weighing over 100g/m2 but not more than 200 g/m2, of yarn
number 42 or lower
\2\ printed plain weave fabrics of cotton, 85% or more cotton by
weight, weighing over 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m2, of yarn
numbers 43-68
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D) contains designs, symbols, and other characteristics of
African prints normally produced for and sold in Africa by the
piece.
E) made from fabric woven in the U.S. using U.S. yarn or woven
in one or more eligible sub-Saharan beneficiary countries using U.S
or African yarn
F) printed, including waxed, in one or more eligible sub-Saharan
beneficiary countries
[FR Doc. E6-21991 Filed 12-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S