[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17931-17932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5074]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Determination of Eligibility for Retroactive Duty Treatment Under 
the Dominican Republic--Central America--United States Free Trade 
Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 205(b) of the Dominican Republic--Central 
America--United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (the 
Act), the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice 
of his determination that Honduras and Nicaragua are eligible countries 
for purposes of retroactive duty treatment as provided in Section 205 
of the Act.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 7, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed, delivered, or faxed to Abiola 
Heyliger, Director of Textile Trade Policy, Office of the United States 
Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508, fax 
number, (202) 395-5639.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abiola Heyliger, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 202-395-3026.

[[Page 17932]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 205(a) of the Act (Pub. L. 109-53; 
119 Stat. 462, 483; 19 U.S.C. 4034) provides that certain entries of 
textile or apparel goods of designated eligible countries that are 
parties to the Dominican Republic--Central America--United States Free 
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) made on or after January 1, 2004 may be 
liquidated or reliquidated at the applicable rate of duty for those 
goods established in the Schedule of the United States to Annex 3.3 of 
the CAFTA-DR. Section 205(b) of the Act requires the USTR to determine, 
in accordance with Article 3.20 of the CAFTA-DR, which CAFTA-DR 
countries are eligible countries for purposes of Section 205(a). 
Article 3.20 provides that importers may claim retroactive duty 
treatment for imports of certain textile or apparel goods entered on or 
after January 1, 2004 and before the entry into force of CAFTA-DR from 
those CAFTA-DR countries that will provide reciprocal retroactive duty 
treatment or a benefit for textile or apparel goods that is equivalent 
to retroactive duty treatment.
    Pursuant to Section 205(b) of the Act, I have determined that 
Honduras and Nicaragua will each provide an equivalent benefit for 
textile or apparel goods of the United States within the meaning of 
Article 3.20 of the CAFTA-DR. I therefore determine that Honduras and 
Nicaragua are eligible countries for purposes of Section 205 of the 
Act.

Rob Portman,
U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E6-5074 Filed 4-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-D2-P