[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77055-77056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31572]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

December 10, 2002.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Determination.

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SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(CITA) has determined that handloomed fabric made in Malawi and 
handmade articles made from such handloomed fabric that are made in 
Malawi qualify for preferential treatment under Section 112(a) of the 
African Growth and

[[Page 77056]]

Opportunity Act (AGOA). Therefore, imports of eligible products from 
Malawi with an appropriate AGOA Visa will qualify for duty-free 
treatment under the AGOA.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 23, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Flaaten, International Trade 
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, (202) 482-3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The African Growth and Opportunity Act 
(Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-
2000)(AGOA) provides preferential tariff treatment for imports of 
certain textile and apparel products of beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries. 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, or 
folklore articles.
    Under Section 2 of Executive Order 13191 of January 17, 2001, CITA 
is authorized to ``consult with beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries and to determine which, if any, particular textile and 
apparel goods shall be treated as being handloomed, handmade, or 
folklore articles'' (66 FR 7272). Consultations with Malawi were held 
on November 13, 2002, and CITA has now determined that handloomed 
fabrics produced in and exported from Malawi and handmade articles 
produced in and exported from Malawi made from such handloomed fabrics 
are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under section 112(a) of 
the AGOA. In the letter published below, CITA directs the Commissioner 
of Customs to allow entry of such products of Malawi under Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule provision 9819.11.27, when accompanied by an 
appropriate export visa in grouping ``9''.

D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

December 10, 2002.

Commissioner of Customs,
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.
    Dear Commissioner: Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 
20229.Dear Commissioner: The Committee for the Implementation of 
Textiles Agreements (CITA), pursuant to Sections 112(a) of the 
African Growth and Opportunity Act (Title I of Pub. L. No. 106-200) 
(AGOA) and Executive Order 13101 of January 17, 2001, has determined 
that, effective on December 23, 2002, handloomed fabric produced in 
Malawi and handmade articles produced in Malawi from such handloomed 
fabric shall be treated as being handloomed, handmade, or folklore 
articles under the AGOA, and that an export visa issued by the 
Government of Malawi for Grouping ``9'' is a certification by the 
Government of Malawi that the article is handloomed, handmade, or 
folklore. CITA directs you to permit duty-free entry of such 
articles accompanied by the appropriate visa and entered under 
heading 9819.11.27 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States.
    Sincerely,
D. Michael Hutchinson,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. 02-31572 Filed 12-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S