This is a 90-day temporary rule. Duty-free treatment for eligible articles from beneficiary countries under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) expired on December 4, 2001. This document amends the Customs Regulations on a temporary basis to provide that effective February 15, 2002, importers of eligible articles that, but for the expiration of the ATPA, would have been entitled to duty-free treatment under the ATPA, may exercise the option to defer the payment of estimated Customs duties and fees after entry of those articles until May 16, 2002. The Administration anticipates that the duty-free treatment accorded to merchandise under the provisions of the ATPA will be restored and made retroactive to the date of the initial termination of such duty-free treatment (December 4, 2001), and that there will be no extension of this extraordinary action. After consultation with the State Department, the Department of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and others, it has been determined that there is a national security interest to be furthered by an interim deferral of collection of estimated duties on products from the Andean nations. Action in this matter is also intended to relieve the importing public from having to deposit estimated duties and fees on eligible merchandise and then having to apply for a refund of the duties in the event duty-free treatment is retroactively re-authorized for such merchandise under the ATPA.