[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55039-55040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24061]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Limitations of Duty- and Quota-Free Imports of Apparel Articles 
Assembled in Beneficiary ATPDEA Countries from Regional Country Fabric

September 16, 2003.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Publishing the Second 12-Month Cap on Duty and Quota Free 
Benefits

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EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2003.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Section 3103 of the Trade Act of 2002; Presidential 
Proclamation 7616 of October 31, 2002 (67 FR 67283).
    Section 3103 of the Trade Act of 2002 amended the Andean Trade 
Preference Act (ATPA) to provide for duty and quota-free treatment for 
certain textile and apparel articles imported from designated Andean 
Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) beneficiary 
countries. Section 204(b)(3)(B)(iii) of the amended ATPA provides duty- 
and quota-free treatment for certain apparel articles assembled in 
ATPDEA beneficiary countries from regional fabric and components. More 
specifically, this provision applies to apparel articles sewn or 
otherwise assembled in one or more ATPDEA beneficiary countries from 
fabrics or from fabric components formed or from components knit-to-
shape, in one or more ATPDEA beneficiary countries, from yarns wholly 
formed in the United States or one or more ATPDEA beneficiary countries 
(including fabrics not formed from yarns, if such fabrics are 
classifiable under heading 5602 and 5603 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule (HTS) and are formed in one or more ATPDEA beneficiary 
countries). Such apparel articles may also contain certain other 
eligible fabrics, fabric

[[Page 55040]]

components, or components knit-to-shape.
    For the one-year period, beginning on October 1, 2003, and 
extending through September 30, 2004, preferential tariff treatment is 
limited under the regional fabric provision to imports of qualifying 
apparel articles in an amount not to exceed 2.75 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. For the purpose of this notice, the 12-month period for 
which data are available is the 12-month period that ended July 31, 
2003. In Presidential Proclamation 7616, (published in the Federal 
Register on November 5, 2002, 67 FR 67283), the President directed CITA 
to publish in the Federal Register the aggregate quantity of imports 
allowed during each 12-month period.
    For the one-year period, beginning on October 1, 2003, and 
extending through September 30, 2004, the aggregate quantity of imports 
eligible for preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision 
is 548,823,093 square meters equivalent. This quantity will be 
recalculated for each subsequent year, under Section 204(b)(3)(B)(iii). 
Apparel articles entered in excess of this quantity will be subject to 
otherwise applicable tariffs.
    This quantity is 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 
equivalents used by the United States in implementing the ATC.

James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc.03-24061 Filed 9-18-03; 12:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-S