[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 31254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14230]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Determination Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined 
that Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) has adopted an effective 
visa system and related procedures to prevent the unlawful 
transshipment of textile and apparel articles and the use of 
counterfeit documents in connection with the shipment of such articles, 
and has implemented and follows, or is making substantial progress 
towards implementing and following, the custom procedures required by 
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Therefore, imports of 
eligible products from Eswatini qualify for the textile and apparel 
benefits provided under the AGOA. The notice also makes conforming 
changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to 
reflect the recent change in name of the Kingdom of Swaziland 
(Swaziland) to Eswatini.

DATES: This notice is applicable on July 3, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Hamilton, Assistant United 
States Trade Representative for African Affairs at (202) 395-9514 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The AGOA (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Public 
Law 106-200, as amended) provides preferential tariff treatment for 
imports of certain textile and apparel products of beneficiary sub-
Saharan African countries. The textile and apparel trade benefits under 
AGOA are available to imports of eligible products from countries that 
the President designates as ``beneficiary sub-Saharan African 
countries,'' provided that these countries: (1) Have adopted an 
effective visa system and related procedures to prevent the unlawful 
transshipment of textile and apparel articles and the use of 
counterfeit documents in connection with shipment of such articles; and 
(2) have implemented and follow, or are making substantial progress 
towards implementing and following, certain customs procedures that 
assist the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in verifying the origin 
of the products.
    In Proclamation 9687 dated December 22, 2017 (82 FR 61414), the 
President designated Swaziland (now known as Eswatini) as a 
``beneficiary sub-Saharan African country'' and proclaimed, for the 
purposes of section 112(c) of AGOA, that Swaziland (now known as 
Eswatini) should be considered a lesser developed beneficiary sub-
Saharan African country. Based on the actions Eswatini has taken, the 
United States Trade Representative has determined that Eswatini has 
satisfied the two requirements for eligibility for textile and apparel 
benefits under AGOA. In Proclamation 7350 of October 2, 2000, the 
President authorized the United States Trade Representative to perform 
the function of determining whether eligible sub-Saharan countries have 
met the two requirements described above. The President directed the 
United States Trade Representative to announce any such determinations 
in the Federal Register and to implement them through modifications in 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).
    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority vested in the United States 
Trade Representative in Proclamation 7350, U.S. note 7(a) to subchapter 
II of chapter 98 of the HTS, is modified by inserting ``Eswatini'' in 
alphabetical sequence in the list of countries, and U.S. notes 1 and 
2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 of the HTS are modified to add in 
numerical sequence, in the list of designated sub-Saharan African 
countries, the name ``Eswatini,'' in alphabetical sequence and to 
delete therefrom ``Kingdom of Swaziland''. The foregoing modifications 
to the HTS are effective with respect to articles entered for 
consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 
the effective date of this notice. Imports claiming preferential tariff 
treatment under the AGOA for entries of textile and apparel articles 
should ensure that those entries meet the applicable visa requirements. 
See 66 FR 7837 (January 25, 2001).
    Presidential Proclamation 6969 of January 27, 1997 (62 FR 4415), 
authorizes the United States Trade Representative to exercise the 
authority provided to the President under section 604 of the Trade Act 
(19 U.S.C. 2483) to embody rectifications, technical or conforming 
changes, or similar modifications in the HTS. Pursuant to the delegated 
authority vested in the United States Trade Representative in 
Proclamation 6969, general notes 4(a) and 16(a) to the HTS are each 
modified by deleting ``Swaziland'' and by inserting in alphabetical 
sequence in such notes ``Eswatini'', in order to reflect the recent 
change in name of Swaziland to Eswatini.

Robert Lighthizer,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2018-14230 Filed 7-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F8-P