[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78408-78409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22328]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Determination under the African Growth and Opportunity Act

December 22, 2006.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Directive to the Commissioner 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 Mali 
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 Mali with an appropriate visa will qualify for duty-free 
treatment.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 16, 2007.

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 37959, 
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 Malian 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, the folklore articles described in Annex A, and 
ethnic printed fabrics described in Annex B to this notice, if produced 
in and exported from Mali, are eligible for preferential tariff 
treatment under section 112(a) of the AGOA, as amended. After further 
consultations with Malian 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''.

Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

December 22, 2006.

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 January 16, 2007, 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 Mali from fabric handloomed in Mali; (b) the folklore 
articles described in Annex A; and (c) ethnic printed fabrics 
described in Annex B, if made in Mali. 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 Mali 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 Malian authorities, CITA 
may determine that additional textile and apparel goods shall be 
treated as folklore articles or ethnic printed fabrics.
    Sincerely,
Philip J. Martello,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.

ANNEX A: Malian 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 Mali. Articles must be ornamented in characteristic Malian 
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 velcroc or similar holding fabric). An 
article may not incorporate patterns that are not traditional or 
historical to Mali, such as airplanes, buses, cowboys, or cartoon 
characters and may not incorporate designs referencing holidays or 
festivals not common to traditional Malian culture, such as 
Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Eligible folklore articles:
(a) Hand-woven Blanket/Tapestry: Strips of handloomed cotton or wool 
or wool-cotton blend fabric, 3-10 inches wide, hand or machine sewn 
together to make a larger piece of fabric. Dimensions and designs 
depend on use. Uses include scarves, body wrap, blankets, 
bedspreads, and interior room decoration accessory. Designs are 
woven into the fabric using dyed yarns or painted, stenciled or 
printed after assembly.
(b) Women's Boubou: A loose-fitting garment with large open armholes 
made of bright solid colored machine-made African brocade (also 
called basin) or hand-woven fabric. It is accompanied by a matching 
wrap skirt and head wrap. The garment is decorated with hand or 
machine-sewn embroidery around a round or U-shaped neckline.

[[Page 78409]]

(c) Ladies' Long Traditional Boubou: This ladies' dress is a loose-
fitting garment with matching scarf and head wrap of bright colored 
machine-made fabric characteristic of ethnic printed fabrics, or of 
hand-woven fabrics. Garment is decorated with lace attached around 
the neckline, bottom hem, and sleeves.
(d) Men's Boubou of Ethnic Printed Fabrics: This loose-fitting two-
piece set is an ankle-length pullover outer tunic with matching 
trousers. The tunic has oversized armholes and an asymmetrical 
neckline with a center chest pocket. The garment is embroidered 
around the neckline. The trousers are secured at the waist by a 
drawstring and may be baggy with extra-fullness at the thighs and 
may contain side seam pockets.
(e) Men's Boubou of African Brocade (Basin) Fabric: This loose 
fitting three-piece set contains an ankle length pullover outer 
tunic, and inner tunic, and matching trousers. The outer tunic has 
oversized armholes and an asymmetrical neckline with a center chest 
pocket and is embroidered around the neckline. The inner tunic is 
embroidered around the neckline and may have pockets. The trousers 
are secured at the waist by a drawstring and are baggy with extra-
fullness at the thighs and may contain pockets.
(f) Bologan Poncho: The ``poncho'' is loosely constructed made of 
several strips of narrow hand-woven fabrics hand or machine sewn 
together, with a slit for a neck opening. The garment is patterned 
with geometric-designed mud cloth.
(g) Dogon Hunter's Tunic: A loose-fitting upper garment made by hand 
or machine sewing several strips of narrow hand-woven fabrics 
together, it is decorated with metal staples forming geometric 
designs. The garment is dyed a solid dark blue or dark brown in 
color.

ANNEX B: Malian Ethnic Printed Fabrics
Each ethnic print must meet all of the criteria listed below:
(A) selvedge on both edges
(B) width of less than 50 inches
(C) classifiable under subheading 5208.52.30 \1\ or 5208.52.40\2\ of 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
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    \1\ printed plain weave fabrics of cotton, 85% or more cotton by 
weight, weighing over 100g/m2 but not more than 200 g/m2, of yarn 
number 42 or lower
    \2\ printed plain weave fabrics of cotton, 85% or more cotton by 
weight, weighing over 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m2, of yarn 
numbers 43-68
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(D) contains designs, symbols, and other characteristics of African 
prints normally produced for and sold in Africa by the piece.
(E) made from fabric woven in the U.S. using U.S. yarn or woven in 
one or more eligible sub-Saharan beneficiary countries using U.S or 
African yarn
(F) printed, including waxed, in one or more eligible sub-Saharan 
beneficiary countries

[FR Doc. E6-22328 Filed 12-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S