Full AGOA Benefits Restored for Eswatini, Formerly Known as Swaziland

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is reinstating African Growth and Opportunity Act textile and apparel benefits for Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), it said in a notice. Eswatini, which adopted its new name in April, has implemented an effective visa system to prevent transshipment of textiles and apparel, and has put in place customs verification procedures, USTR said. Effective July 3, USTR is directing that the Harmonized Tariff Schedule be amended to add Eswatini to U.S. note 7(a) to subchapter II of chapter 98. USTR is also amending other provisions of the HTS to reflect the country’s name change, deleting “Swaziland” and adding in its place “Eswatini” for U.S. notes 1 and 2(d) to subchapter XIX of chapter 98, was well as for general notes 4(a) and 16(a) of the tariff schedule.