[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 1589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-377]


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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

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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DATES: Effective Date:
    January 1, 2010.

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, Public Law 107-210; Presidential Proclamation 7616 of October 31, 
2002, 67 FR 67283 (November 5, 2002); Executive Order 13277, 67 FR 
70305 (November 19, 2002); and the Office of the United States Trade 
Representative's Notice of Authority and Further Assignment of 
Functions, 67 FR 71606 (November 25, 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.
    Title VII of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act (TRHCA) of 2006, 
Public Law 107-432, extended the expiration of the ATPA to June 30, 
2007. See Section 7002(a) of the TRHCA 2006. H.R. 1830, 110th Cong. 
(2007), further extended the expiration of the ATPA to February 29, 
2008. H.R. 5264, 110th Cong. (2008), further extended the expiration of 
the ATPA to December 31, 2008. H.R. 7222, 110th Cong. (2008), further 
extended the expiration of the ATPA to December 31, 2009. H.R 4284, 
111th Cong. (2009), further extended the expiration of the ATPA to 
December 31, 2010.
    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, 2010.
    For the period beginning on October 1, 2009 and extending through 
September 30, 2010, the aggregate quantity of imports eligible for 
preferential treatment under the regional fabric provision is 
1,163,423,598 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. 2010-377 Filed 1-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P