[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70586-70587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23105]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act

November 16, 2005.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA)

ACTION: Directive to the Commissioner, Bureau of Customs and Border 
Protection.

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SUMMARY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(CITA) has determined that certain textile and apparel goods from 
Sierra Leone shall be treated as ``handloomed, handmade, folklore 
articles, or ethnic printed fabrics'' and qualify for preferential 
treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Imports of 
eligible products from Sierra Leone with an appropriate visa will 
qualify for duty-free treatment.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 28, 2005

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Authority: Sections 112(a) and 112(b)(6) of the African Growth 
and Opportunity Act (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 
2000, Pub. L. No. 106-200) (``AGOA''), as amended by Section 7(c) of 
the AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-274) (``AGOA 
Acceleration Act'') (19 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  3721(a) and (b)(6)); 
Sections 2 and 5 of Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001; 
Sections 25-27 and Paras. 13-14 of Presidential Proclamation 7912 of 
June 29, 2005.
    AGOA provides preferential tariff treatment for imports of certain 
textile and apparel products of beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries, including hand-loomed, handmade, or folklore articles of a 
beneficiary country that are certified as such by the competent 
authority in the beneficiary country. The AGOA Acceleration Act further 
expanded AGOA by adding ethnic printed fabrics to the list of textile 
and apparel products made in the beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries that may be eligible for the preferential treatment described 
in section 112(a) of the AGOA. In Executive Order 13191 (January 17, 
2001) and Presidential Proclamation 7912 (June 29, 2005), the President 
authorized CITA to consult with beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries and to determine which, if any, particular textile and 
apparel goods shall be treated as being hand-loomed, handmade, folklore 
articles, or ethnic printed fabrics. (66 FR 7271-72 and 70 FR 37951, 
37961 & 63)
    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, hand-loomed, folklore articles, or ethnic 
printed fabrics.
    CITA has consulted with Sierra Leonean authorities and has 
determined that hand-loomed fabrics, hand-loomed articles (e.g., hand-
loomed rugs, scarves, place mats, and tablecloths), handmade articles 
made from hand-loomed fabrics, and the folklore articles described in 
Annex A to this notice, if produced in and exported from Sierra Leone, 
are eligible for preferential tariff treatment under section 112(a) of 
the AGOA, as amended. After further consultations with Sierra Leonean 
authorities, CITA may determine that additional textile and apparel 
goods shall be treated as folklore articles or ethnic printed fabrics. 
In the letter published below, CITA directs the Commissioner of Customs 
and Border Protection to allow duty-free entry of such products under 
U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 9819.11.27 if accompanied by 
an appropriate AGOA visa in grouping ``9''.

James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 16, 2005.

Commissioner,
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Washington, DC 20229.
    Dear Commissioner: The Committee for the Implementation of 
Textiles Agreements (``CITA''), pursuant to Sections 112(a) and 
(b)(6) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Title I of the 
Trade and Development Act of 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-200) (``AGOA''), 
as amended by Section 7(c) of the AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 
(Pub. L. 108-274) (``AGOA Acceleration Act'') (19 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  
3721(a) and (b)(6)), Executive Order No. 13191 of January 17, 2001, 
and Presidential Proclamation 7912 of June 29, 2005, has determined, 
effective on November 28, 2005, that the following articles shall be 
treated as ``handloomed, handmade, folklore articles, and ethnic 
printed fabrics'' under the AGOA: (a) handloomed fabrics, handloomed 
articles (e.g., handloomed rugs, scarves, placemats, and 
tablecloths), and hand-made articles made from handloomed fabrics, 
if made in Sierra Leone from fabric handloomed in Sierra Leone; and 
(b) the folklore articles described in Annex A if made in Sierra 
Leone. Such articles are eligible for duty-free treatment only if 
entered under subheading 9819.11.27 and accompanied by a properly 
completed visa for product grouping ``9'', in accordance with the 
provisions of the Visa Arrangement between the Government of Sierra 
Leone and the Government of the United States Concerning Textile and 
Apparel Articles Claiming Preferential Tariff Treatment under 
Section 112 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. After further 
consultations with Sierra Leonean authorities, CITA may determine 
that additional textile and apparel goods shall be treated as 
folklore articles or ethnic printed fabrics.
James C. Leonard III,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Attachment
ANNEX A: Sierra Leonean Folklore Products
CITA has determined that the following textile and apparel goods 
shall be treated as folklore articles for purposes of the AGOA if 
made in Sierra Leone. Articles must be ornamented in characteristic 
Sierra Leonean or regional folk style. An article may not include 
modern features such as zippers, elastic, elasticized fabrics, 
snaps, or hook-and-pile fasteners (such as velcro(copyright) or 
similar holding fabric). An article may not incorporate patterns 
that are not traditional or historical to Sierra Leone, such as 
airplanes, buses, cowboys, or cartoon

[[Page 70587]]

characters and may not incorporate designs referencing holidays or 
festivals not common to traditional Sierra Leonean culture, such as 
Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Eligible folklore articles:

    (a) Country Cloth: Strips of handloomed fabric, hand or machine 
sewn together to make a larger piece of fabric, dyed with natural 
dyes, striped. Dimensions depend on use (blankets are usually 3 
meters x 2.4 meters, or may vary to smaller sizes, and body wraps 
standard dimensions are 1.8 meters x 1 meter).
    (b) Country Cloth Smocks: Made of country cloth described in 
(a), traditional sleeveless garments, may come with matching hat, 
round neckline with a slit down the center front. Garments typically 
have a center chest pocket immediately below the neckline, and side 
patch pockets may be present. If embroidered, it is usually around 
the neckline and pockets. May come with or without matching brimless 
cap with a flat top and cylindrical side or headwrap/scarf.
    (c) Kabaslot: Primarily worn by ``Creoles'', this cotton ladies' 
dress is a loose-fitting garment with matching scarf of colorful 
cotton printed fabric. The body is pleated from the imperial 
waistline down. Necklines may be square or be in an asymmetrical 
zigzag decorative pattern. Sleeves are three-quarter length, with 
ruffles around the cuff. The bottom of garment has a decorative 
ruffle sewn just above the bottom hem. Garment has side pockets. 
Garment may be heavily decorated with embroidery around the 
neckline, pockets and back shoulder.
    (d) Ronko Smocks: This loose fitting garment, is made of 
handloomed cotton strips of fabric, and dyed with natural dyes, 
usually a deep brown from the kola nut. May be a solid dark color, 
or dark brown with geometric black patterns. The three-quarter 
length upper garment is sleeveless or has half to three-quarter 
length sleeves that are open at the bottom. The smock has a center 
chest pocket immediately below the neckline, and may or may not have 
side-seam pockets. Garment comes with matching brimless cap with a 
flat top and cylindrical side.
[FR Doc. 05-23105 Filed 11-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S