[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49059-49060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23909]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of 
the Trade Policy Staff Committee; Public Comments on Annual Review of 
Country Eligibility for Benefits Under the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act, Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation 
Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (the ``Subcommittee'') 
is requesting written public comments for the annual review of the 
eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of 
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This notice identifies 
the eligibility criteria that must be considered under the AGOA, lists 
the sub-Saharan African countries that are currently eligible for AGOA, 
and the sub-Saharan African countries that are currently ineligible for 
the AGOA. The Subcommittee will consider any such comments in 
developing recommendations on country eligibility for the President. 
Comments received related to the child labor criteria may also be 
considered by the Secretary of Labor in making the findings required 
under section 504 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended.

DATES: The deadline for comments is October 10, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of African Affairs, Office of 
the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Room 501, 
Washington, DC 20508. Telephone (202) 395-9514.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AGOA amends Title V of the Trade Act of 
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.) (the ``Trade Act'') to authorize the 
President to designate sub-Saharan African countries as eligible for 
duty-free tariff treatment for certain products under the Generalized 
System of Preferences program. The AGOA also provides preferential 
treatment for certain textile and apparel articles of beneficiary sub-
Saharan African countries that meet certain statutory requirements 
intended to prevent unlawful transshipment of such articles.
    The President may designate a country as a beneficiary sub-Saharan 
African country if he determines that the country meets the eligibility 
criteria set forth in: (1) Section 104 of the AGOA; and (2) section 502 
of the Trade Act. To date, 35 countries have been designated as 
beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries. These countries, as well as 
the 14 currently ineligible countries, are listed below. Section 506A 
of the Trade Act provides that the President shall monitor, review, and 
report to Congress annually on the progress of each sub-Saharan African 
country in meeting the foregoing eligibility criteria in order to 
determine the current or potential eligibility of each country to be 
designated as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. The 
President's determinations are to be included in an annual report 
submitted to Congress.
    The Subcommittee is seeking public comments in connection with the 
annual review of the eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries for 
the AGOA's benefits. The Subcommittee will consider any such comments 
in developing recommendations on country eligibility for the President. 
Comments related to the child labor criteria may also be considered by 
the Secretary of Labor in making the findings required under section 
504 of the Trade Act.

Beneficiary Sub-Saharan African Countries

    The following have been designated as beneficiary sub-Saharan 
African countries:

Republic of Benin
Republic of Botswana
Republic of Cameroon
Republic of Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Republic of Chad
Republic of the Congo
Republic of Djibouti
State of Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabonese Republic
Republic of Ghana
Republic of Guinea .
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Republic of Kenya
Kingdom of Lesotho
Republic of Madagascar
Republic of Malawi
Republic of Mali
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Republic of Mauritius
Republic of Mozambique
Republic of Namibia
Republic of Niger
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Republic of Rwanda
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
Republic of Senegal
Republic of Seychelles
Republic of Sierra Leone
Republic of South Africa
Kingdom of Swaziland
United Republic of Tanzania
Republic of Uganda
Republic of Zambia

Non-Beneficiary Sub-Saharan African Countries

    The following have not been designated as beneficiary sub-Saharan 
African countries:

Republic of Angola
Burkina Faso
Republic of Burundi
Democratic Republic of Congo
Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Republic of The Gambia
Republic of Liberia
Somalia
Republic of Togo
Republic of Sudan
Republic Zimbabwe

Submission of Written Comments

    Interested parties are invited to submit comments regarding the 
continued eligibility of countries and the potential designation as 
beneficiaries of countries currently not eligible for AGOA benefits. 
All

[[Page 49060]]

submissions must include an original and twenty (20) copies, in 
English. All submissions should clearly identify on the cover page of 
the submission the country or countries discussed within the submission 
and include the name of the person and/or organization submitting the 
written comments. Comments must be submitted by October 10, 2001, to 
Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office 
of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20508.
    Public versions of all documents relating to this review will be 
available for inspection by appointment in the USTR public reading room 
(for appointments call (202) 395-6186). Submissions that are granted 
``business confidential'' status and other information submitted in 
confidence will not be available for public inspection. Submissions 
that include Business Confidential information are subject to the 
requirements of 15 CFR 2003.6. A justification as to why the 
information contained in the submission should be treated 
confidentially must be included in the submission. If a document 
contains such business confidential information, an original and twenty 
(20) copies of the business confidential versions of the document along 
with an original and twenty (20) copies of a public version must be 
submitted. The document that contains business confidential information 
should be clearly marked ``business confidential'' at the top of each 
page. The public version should also be clearly marked at the top of 
each page (either ``public version'' of ``non-confidential'').

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 01-23909 Filed 9-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M