[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 70333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31133]


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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 Cote d'Ivoire 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 Cote d'Ivoire qualify for the textile and 
apparel benefits provided under the AGOA.

DATES: December 17, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Coleman, Director 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, Pub. L. 106-200, as amended by section 3108 of 
the Trade Act of 2002) 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 7561 (May 16, 2002), the President designated Cote 
d'Ivoire as a ``beneficiary sub-Saharan African country'' and 
proclaimed that, for purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA, Cote 
d'Ivoire 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 Cote 
d'Ivoire has taken, I have determined that Cote d'Ivoire 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 ``Cote d'Ivoire'' 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 the effective date of this 
notice. 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).

Robert B. Zoellick,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 03-31133 Filed 12-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W3-M