[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 188 (Friday, September 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55178-55179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19156]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Limitations of Duty- and Quota-Free Imports of Apparel Articles 
Assembled in Beneficiary Sub-Saharan African Countries from Regional 
and Third-Country Fabric

September 24, 2007.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Publishing the New 12-Month Cap on Duty- and Quota-Free 
Benefits.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 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: Title I, Section 112(b)(3) of the Trade and 
Development Act of 2000, P.L. 106-200, as amended by section 3108 of 
the Trade Act of 2002, P.L. 107-210; Section 7(b)(2) of the AGOA 
Acceleration Act of 2004, P.L. 108-274; Title VI, section 6002 of 
the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA 2006). P.L. 109-
432; Presidential Proclamation 7350 of October 4, 2000 (65 FR 
59321); Presidential Proclamation 7626 of November 13, 2002 (67 FR 
69459).
    Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (TDA 2000) 
provides for duty- and quota-free treatment for certain textile and 
apparel articles imported from designated beneficiary sub-Saharan 
African countries. Section 112(b)(3) of TDA 2000 provides duty- and 
quota-free treatment for apparel articles wholly assembled in one or 
more beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries from fabric wholly 
formed in one or more beneficiary countries from yarn originating in 
the U.S. or one or more beneficiary countries. This preferential 
treatment is also available for apparel articles assembled in one or 
more lesser-developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries, 
regardless of the country of origin of the fabric used to make such 
articles, subject to quantitative limitation. Title VI of the TRHCA 
2006 extended this special rule for lesser-developed countries through 
September 30, 2012.
    The AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 provides that the quantitative 
limitation for the twelve-month period beginning October 1, 2007 will 
be an amount not to exceed 7 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. See Section 
112(b)(3)(A)(ii)(I) of TDA 2000, as amended by Section 7(b)(2)(B) of 
the AGOA Acceleration Act. Of this overall amount, apparel imported 
under the special rule for lesser-developed countries is limited to an 
amount not to exceed 3.5 percent of all apparel articles imported into 
the United States in the preceding 12-month period. See Section 
112(b)(3)(B)(ii)(II) of TDA 2000, as amended by Section 6002(a) of 
TRHCA 2006. Presidential Proclamation 7350 directed CITA to publish the 
aggregate quantity of imports allowed during each 12-month period in 
the Federal Register.
    For the one-year period, beginning on October 1, 2007, and 
extending through September 30, 2008, the aggregate quantity of imports 
eligible for preferential treatment under these provisions is 
1,746,798,542 square meters equivalent. Of this amount, 873,399,271 
square meters equivalent is available to apparel articles imported 
under the special rule for lesser-developed countries. Apparel articles 
entered in excess of these quantities will be subject to otherwise 
applicable tariffs.
    These quantities are 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

[[Page 55179]]

equivalents used by the United States in implementing the ATC.

Janet E. Heinzen,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. E7-19156 Filed 9-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS