[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 6840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2757]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Determinations Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined 
that the Republic of Liberia has adopted an effective visa system and 
related procedures to prevent unlawful transshipment and the use of 
counterfeit documents in connection with shipment of textile and 
apparel articles and has implemented and follows, or making substantial 
progress toward implementing and following, the customs procedures 
required by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Therefore, 
imports of eligible products from the Republic of Liberia qualify for 
the textile and apparel benefits provided under the AGOA.

DATES: Effective Date: February 7, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Hamilton, Deputy Assistant 
United States Trade Representative for African Affairs, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, (202) 395-9514.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AGOA (Title I of the Trade and 
Development Act of 2000, Public Law 106-200, as amended) provides 
preferential tariff treatment for imports of certain textile and 
apparel products of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries. The 
textile and apparel trade benefits under the AGOA are available to 
imports of eligible products from countries that the President 
designates as ``beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries,'' provided 
that these countries: (1) Have adopted an effective visa system and 
related procedures to prevent unlawful transshipment and the use of 
counterfeit documents; and (2) have implemented and follow, or are 
making substantial progress toward implementing and following, certain 
customs procedures that assist the Customs Service in verifying the 
origin of the products. In Proclamation 8098 (December 29, 2006), the 
President designated the Republic of Liberia as a ``beneficiary sub-
Saharan African country'' and proclaimed that, for purposes of section 
112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA, the Republic of Liberia shall be considered a 
lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. In 
Proclamation 7350 (October 2, 2002), the President delegated to the 
USTR the authority to determine whether designated countries have met 
the two requirements described above. The President directed the USTR 
to announce any such determinations in the Federal Register and to 
implement them through modifications of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States (HTS). Based on actions that the Republic of 
Liberia has taken, I have determined that the Republic of Liberia has 
satisfied these two requirements. Accordingly, pursuant to the 
authority vested in the USTR by Proclamation 7350, U.S. note 7(a) to 
subchapter II of chapter 98 of the HTS, and U.S. notes 1 and 2(d) to 
subchapter XIX of chapter 98 of the HTS are each modified by inserting 
``Republic of Liberia'' in alphabetical sequence in the list of 
countries. The foregoing modifications to the HTS are effective with 
respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for 
consumption, on or after February 7, 2011. Importers claiming 
preferential tariff treatment under the AGOA for entries of textile and 
apparel articles should ensure that those entries meet the applicable 
visa requirements. See Visa Requirements Under the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act, 66 FR 7837 (2001).

Ron Kirk,
U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2011-2757 Filed 2-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W1-P