[Federal Register: September 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 188)]
[Notices]
[Page 55178-55179]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28se07-56]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Limitations of Duty- and Quota-Free Imports of Apparel Articles
Assembled in Beneficiary Sub-Saharan African Countries from Regional
and Third-Country Fabric
September 24, 2007.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).
ACTION: Publishing the New 12-Month Cap on Duty- and Quota-Free
Benefits.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 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: Title I, Section 112(b)(3) of the Trade and
Development Act of 2000, P.L. 106-200, as amended by section 3108 of
the Trade Act of 2002, P.L. 107-210; Section 7(b)(2) of the AGOA
Acceleration Act of 2004, P.L. 108-274; Title VI, section 6002 of
the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA 2006). P.L. 109-
432; Presidential Proclamation 7350 of October 4, 2000 (65 FR
59321); Presidential Proclamation 7626 of November 13, 2002 (67 FR
69459).
Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (TDA 2000)
provides for duty- and quota-free treatment for certain textile and
apparel articles imported from designated beneficiary sub-Saharan
African countries. Section 112(b)(3) of TDA 2000 provides duty- and
quota-free treatment for apparel articles wholly assembled in one or
more beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries from fabric wholly
formed in one or more beneficiary countries from yarn originating in
the U.S. or one or more beneficiary countries. This preferential
treatment is also available for apparel articles assembled in one or
more lesser-developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries,
regardless of the country of origin of the fabric used to make such
articles, subject to quantitative limitation. Title VI of the TRHCA
2006 extended this special rule for lesser-developed countries through
September 30, 2012.
The AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 provides that the quantitative
limitation for the twelve-month period beginning October 1, 2007 will
be an amount not to exceed 7 percent of the aggregate square meter
equivalents of all apparel articles imported into the United States in
the preceding 12-month period for which data are available. See Section
112(b)(3)(A)(ii)(I) of TDA 2000, as amended by Section 7(b)(2)(B) of
the AGOA Acceleration Act. Of this overall amount, apparel imported
under the special rule for lesser-developed countries is limited to an
amount not to exceed 3.5 percent of all apparel articles imported into
the United States in the preceding 12-month period. See Section
112(b)(3)(B)(ii)(II) of TDA 2000, as amended by Section 6002(a) of
TRHCA 2006. Presidential Proclamation 7350 directed CITA to publish the
aggregate quantity of imports allowed during each 12-month period in
the Federal Register.
For the one-year period, beginning on October 1, 2007, and
extending through September 30, 2008, the aggregate quantity of imports
eligible for preferential treatment under these provisions is
1,746,798,542 square meters equivalent. Of this amount, 873,399,271
square meters equivalent is available to apparel articles imported
under the special rule for lesser-developed countries. Apparel articles
entered in excess of these quantities will be subject to otherwise
applicable tariffs.
These quantities are calculated using the aggregate square meter
equivalents of all apparel articles imported into the United States,
derived from the set of Harmonized System lines listed in the Annex to
the World Trade Organization Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC),
and the conversion factors for units of measure into square meter
[[Page 55179]]
equivalents used by the United States in implementing the ATC.
Janet E. Heinzen,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7-19156 Filed 9-27-07; 8:45 am]