Notices. Notice

517 words·~2 min read·/register/2011/02/08/2011-2757·

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BILLING CODE 8011-01-P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Determinations Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative

(USTR)has determined that the Republic of Liberia has adopted an effective visa system and related procedures to prevent unlawful transshipment and the use of counterfeit documents in connection with shipment of textile and apparel articles and has implemented and follows, or making substantial progress toward implementing and following, the customs procedures required by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Therefore, imports of eligible products from the Republic of Liberia qualify for the textile and apparel benefits provided under the AGOA. DATES: *Effective Date:* February 7, 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Hamilton, Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for African Affairs, Office of the United States Trade Representative,

(202)395-9514. 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 the 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 unlawful transshipment and the use of counterfeit documents; and

(2)have implemented and follow, or are making substantial progress toward implementing and following, certain customs procedures that assist the Customs Service in verifying the origin of the products. In Proclamation 8098 (December 29, 2006), the President designated the Republic of Liberia as a “beneficiary sub-Saharan African country” and proclaimed that, for purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA, the Republic of Liberia shall be considered a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. In Proclamation 7350 (October 2, 2002), the President delegated to the USTR the authority to determine whether designated countries have met the two requirements described above. The President directed the USTR to announce any such determinations in the **Federal Register** and to implement them through modifications of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). Based on actions that the Republic of Liberia has taken, I have determined that the Republic of Liberia has satisfied these two requirements. Accordingly, pursuant to the authority vested in the USTR by Proclamation 7350, U.S. note 7(a) to subchapter II of chapter 98 of the HTS, and U.S. notes 1 and 2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98 of the HTS are each modified by inserting “Republic of Liberia” in alphabetical sequence in the list of countries. The foregoing modifications to the HTS are effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after February 7, 2011. Importers 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 Visa Requirements Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, 66 FR 7837 (2001). Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2011-2757 Filed 2-7-11; 8:45 am]

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