African Growth and Opportunity Act

Background

Updated: 7th March 2008

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was signed into law on 18 May 2000 and amended (AGOA II) on 6 August 2002. AGOA II substantially expands preferential access for imports to the US from beneficiary Sub-Saharan African countries.

AGOA provides duty-free and quota-free treatment for eligible apparel articles made in qualifying sub-Saharan African countries through 2015.

Qualifying articles include: apparel made of US yarns and fabrics; apparel made of sub-Saharan African (regional) yarns and fabrics until 2015, subject to a cap; apparel made in a designated lesser-developed country of third-country yarns and fabrics until 2012, subject to a cap; apparel made of yarns and fabrics not produced in commercial quantities in the United States; textile or textile articles originating entirely in one or more lesser-developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries; certain cashmere and merino wool sweaters; and eligible handloomed, handmade, or folklore articles, and ethnic printed fabrics.

Under a Special Rule for lesser-developed beneficiary countries, those countries with a per capita GNP under $1,500 in 1998, will enjoy an additional preference in the form of duty-free/quota-free access for apparel made from fabric originating anywhere in the world. The Special Rule is in effect until 30 September 2012 and is subject to a cap.

Associated links:
http://www.agoa.gov/agoa_legislation/agoa_legislation.html