[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56110-56111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15737]


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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 21, 2006.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Publishing the New Cap on Duty and Quota Free Benefits

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EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2006.

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)

[[Page 56111]]

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 components, or components knit-to-shape.
    For the period beginning on October 1, 2006 and extending through 
December 31, 2006, preferential tariff treatment is limited under the 
regional fabric provision to imports of qualifying apparel articles in 
an amount not to exceed 5 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, 2006. 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 period.
    For the period beginning on October 1, 2006 and extending through 
December 31, 2006, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for 
preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision is 
1,164,288,418 square meters equivalent. 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.

Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc.E6-15737 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS