[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 10883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05551]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Effective Date of Modifications to Rules of Origin of the United
States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In December 2018, the President modified the rules of origin
for certain goods of Morocco under the United States-Morocco Free Trade
Agreement (USMFTA). This notice announces the effective date for those
modifications.
DATES: This notice is applicable on April 1, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, Deputy Assistant U.S.
Trade Representative for Textiles, at 202-395-6092 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Presidential Proclamation 7971 of December
22, 2005, implemented the USMFTA with respect to the United States. The
USMFTA Implementation Act [Pub. L. 108-302, 118 Stat. 1103]
incorporated the tariff modifications and rules of origin necessary or
appropriate to carry out the USMFTA in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule
of the United States (HTSUS). Section 203 of the USMFTA Implementation
Act provides rules for determining whether goods imported into the
United States originate in the territory of Morocco and, thus, are
eligible for the tariff and other treatment contemplated under the
USMFTA. It also authorizes the President to proclaim, as a part of the
HTSUS, the rules of origin set out in the USMFTA, and to modify
previously proclaimed rules of origin, subject to the consultation and
layover requirements of section 104 of the Act.
In 2015 and 2016, the Government of Morocco submitted requests to
modify certain textile and apparel rules of origin based on commercial
availability of specific inputs. Following public comment on the
proposed rules changes, the United States and Morocco reached agreement
to modify certain rules of origin. Pursuant to the USMFTA
Implementation Act, the International Trade Commission conducted an
economic impact review and concluded that the impact on U.S. imports,
exports, and production of the proposed modifications would be
negligible. The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Textiles and
Clothing did not object to the proposed modifications. Congress also
did object during the consultation and layover process.
In Proclamation 9834 of December 21, 2018, the President determined
pursuant to section 203 of the USMFTA Implementation Act, that the
subject modifications to the HTSUS were appropriate and modified
general note 27 to the HTSUS with respect to goods of Morocco. The
modifications are effective with respect to goods of Morocco entered or
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on the date announced by the
United States Trade Representative in the Federal Register.
On March 4, 2019, Morocco notified the United States that it had
completed its domestic procedures to give effect to the agreement to
change the USMFTA rules of origin for certain apparel goods of
specified fabrics with respect to goods of the United States.
Subsequently, Morocco and the United States agreed to implement these
changes with respect to each other's eligible goods, effective April 1,
2019.
William Jackson,
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles, Office of the U.S.
Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2019-05551 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F9-P