Notice2026-02832
Limitation of Duty-Free Imports of Apparel Articles Assembled in Haiti Under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act
Primary source
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Published
February 12, 2026
Issuing agencies
Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements
Abstract
The Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, as amended, provides duty-free treatment for certain apparel articles imported directly from Haiti. One of the preferences is known as the "value- added" provision, which provides preferential tariff treatment for apparel that meets a minimum threshold percentage of value added in Haiti, certain other beneficiary and free trade agreement countries, and/or the United States. The provision is subject to a quantitative limitation, which is a percentage of total apparel imports into the United States for the previous 12-month period for which data are available. For the period from February 3, 2026 through December 19, 2026, the quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under the value-added provision is 267,063,493 square meters equivalent. This quantitative limitation was calculated by prorating imports on a monthly basis to account for the lapse in authorization for this treatment from December 20, 2025 to February 2, 2026.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 6623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02832]
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COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS
Limitation of Duty-Free Imports of Apparel Articles Assembled in
Haiti Under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act
AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
ACTION: Notification of annual quantitative limit on imports of
certain apparel from Haiti.
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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, as amended,
provides duty-free treatment for certain apparel articles imported
directly from Haiti. One of the preferences is known as the ``value-
added'' provision, which provides preferential tariff treatment for
apparel that meets a minimum threshold percentage of value added in
Haiti, certain other beneficiary and free trade agreement countries,
and/or the United States. The provision is subject to a quantitative
limitation, which is a percentage of total apparel imports into the
United States for the previous 12-month period for which data are
available. For the period from February 3, 2026 through December 19,
2026, the quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under
the value-added provision is 267,063,493 square meters equivalent. This
quantitative limitation was calculated by prorating imports on a
monthly basis to account for the lapse in authorization for this
treatment from December 20, 2025 to February 2, 2026.
DATES: The new limitation applies to imports entered on or after
February 3, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kayla Johnson, International Trade
Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-2532.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: Section 213A(b)(1)(B) of CBERA, as amended (19 U.S.C.
2703a(b)(1)(B)), outlines the requirements for certain apparel articles
imported directly from Haiti to qualify for duty-free treatment under a
``value-added'' provision. In order to qualify for duty-free treatment
under this provision, apparel articles must be wholly assembled, or
knit-to-shape, in Haiti from any combination of fabrics, fabric
components, components knit-to-shape, and yarns, as long as the sum of
the cost or value of materials produced in Haiti, one or more other
beneficiary countries or parties to a free trade agreement with the
United States, the United States, or any combination thereof, plus the
direct costs of processing operations performed in Haiti or one or more
beneficiary countries, or any combination thereof, is not less than an
applicable percentage of the declared customs value of such apparel
articles. Pursuant to CBERA, as amended, the applicable percentage for
the period February 3, 2026 through December 19, 2026, is 60 percent.
Proclamation 8114 provides that preferential treatment is limited to
amounts published in the Federal Register by the Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements.
Duty-free treatment under the value-added provision is subject to a
quantitative limitation. CBERA, as amended, provides that the
quantitative limitation will be recalculated for each period after the
initial applicable 1-year period. Section 213A(b)(1)(C) of CBERA, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 2703a(b)(1)(C)), requires that, for the period
beginning on February 3, 2026, the quantitative limitation for
qualifying apparel imported from Haiti under the value-added provision
will be not more than 1.25 percent of the aggregate square meter
equivalent of all apparel articles imported into the United States in
the most recent 12-month period for which data are available. For the
period beginning on February 3, 2026 and ending on December 19, 2026,
CITA calculated the quantitative limitation by prorating imports on a
monthly basis to account for the lapse in authorization of this
treatment from December 20, 2025 to February 2, 2026. Per Section
5020(c) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, qualifying
apparel imported during the lapse in authorization (from December 20,
2025 to February 2, 2026) is eligible for such preferential treatment
upon an appropriate request for liquidation or reliquidation to United
States Customs and Border Protection. The aggregate square meters
equivalent of all apparel articles imported into the United States is
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.
For purposes of this notice, the most recent 12-month period for which
data are available is the 12-month period ending on November 30, 2025.
Therefore, for the period beginning on February 3, 2026 and
extending through December 19, 2026, the quantity of imports eligible
for preferential treatment under the value-added provision is
267,063,493 square meters equivalent. Apparel articles entered in
excess of these quantities will be subject to otherwise applicable
tariffs.
Authority: Section 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery
Act (19 U.S.C. 2703a) (CBERA), Presidential Proc. No. 8114, 72 FR 13655
(March 22, 2007), and No. 8596, 75 FR 68153 (November 4, 2010).
Joshua Kroon,
Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.
[FR Doc. 2026-02832 Filed 2-11-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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