[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 222 (Monday, November 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67837-67838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27229]


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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS


Amendment of Limitation of Duty- and Quota-Free Imports of 
Apparel Articles Assembled in Beneficiary ATPDEA Countries from 
Regional Country Fabric

November 10, 2008.
AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

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

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[[Page 67838]]


EFFECTIVE DATE: November 17, 2008.

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, Pub. L. No. 
107-210; Title VII of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 
(TRHCA 2006), Pub. L. No. 109-432; H.R. 1830 110th Cong. (2007); 
Presidential Proclamation 7616 of October 31, 2002 (67 FR 67283, 
November 5, 2002).
    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) 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, 
subject to quantitative limitation. 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.
    The TRHCA of 2006 extended the expiration of the ATPA to June 30, 
2007. See Section 7002(a) of the TRHCA 2006. H.R. 1830 further extended 
the expiration of the ATPA to February 29, 2008. H.R. 5264 further 
extended the expiration of the ATPA to December 31, 2008. See 
Limitation of Duty- and Quota-Free Imports of Apparel Articles 
Assembled in Beneficiary ATPDEA Countries from Regional Country Fabric 
(73 FR 55502, September 25, 2008).
    H.R. 7222, 110th Cong. (2008), further extended the expiration of 
the ATPA to December 31, 2009. See Pub. L. No. 110-436. The purpose of 
this notice is to extend the period of the quantitative limitation for 
preferential tariff treatment under the regional fabric provision for 
imports of qualifying apparel articles for a full 12-month period, 
through September 30, 2009.
    For the period beginning on October 1, 2008 and extending through 
September 30, 2009, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for 
preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision is 
1,222,785,719 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.

Janet E. Heinzen,
Acting Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile 
Agreements.
[FR Doc. E8-27229 Filed 11-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS