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Office of the Press Secretary
(Chicago, Illinois)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 30, 1999
TO MODIFY DUTY-FREE TREATMENT UNDER THE
GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Pursuant to section 502 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the
"1974 Act") (19 U.S.C. 2462), the President may designate countries as
beneficiary developing countries and least-developed beneficiary
developing countries for purposes of the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP).
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C.
2463(c)(2)(A)), beneficiary developing countries, except those
designated as least-developed beneficiary developing countries, are
subject to competitive need limitations on the preferential treatment
afforded under the GSP to eligible articles.
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(C) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C.
2463(c)(2)(C)), a country that is no longer treated as a beneficiary
developing country with respect to an eligible article may be
redesignated as a beneficiary developing country with respect to such
article if imports of such article from such country did not exceed the
competitive need limitations in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act (19
U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(A)) during the preceding calendar year.
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(F) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C.
2463(c)(2)(F)), the President may disregard the competitive need
limitation provided in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the 1974 Act (19
U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(A)(i)(II)) with respect to any eligible article from
any beneficiary developing country if the aggregate appraised value of
the imports of such article into the United States during the preceding
calendar year does not exceed the applicable amount set forth in section
503(c)(2)(F)(ii) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(c)(2)(F)(ii)).
Pursuant to section 503(d) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)),
the President may waive the application of the competitive need
limitations in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C.
2463(c)(2)(A)) with respect to any eligible article of any beneficiary
developing country if certain conditions are met.
Section 507(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2467(2)) provides that
in the case of an association of countries which is a free trade area or
customs union, or which is contributing to comprehensive regional
economic integration among its members through appropriate means,
including, but not limited to, the reduction of duties, the President
may provide that all members of such association other than members
which are barred from designation under section 502(b) of the 1974 Act
(19 U.S.C. 2462(b)) shall be treated as one country for purposes of
title V of the 1974 Act.
Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and having taken account
of the eligibility criteria set forth therein, I have determined that
Gabon and Mongolia should be designated as beneficiary developing
countries for purposes of the GSP. Further, I have determined that the
names of two previously designated beneficiary developing countries
should be modified.
Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and having taken account
of the eligibility criteria set forth therein, I have determined that
the suspension pursuant to Proclamation 6575 of June 25, 1993, of
preferential treatment for Mauritania as a least-developed beneficiary
developing country under the GSP should be ended.
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act, I have
determined that certain beneficiary developing countries should not
receive preferential tariff treatment under the GSP with respect to
certain eligible articles imported in quantities that exceed the
applicable competitive need limitation.
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(C) of the 1974 Act, I have
determined that certain countries should be redesignated as beneficiary
developing countries with respect to certain eligible articles that
previously had been imported in quantities exceeding the competitive
need limitations of section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act.
Pursuant to section 503(c)(2)(F) of the 1974 Act, I have
determined that the competitive need limitation provided in section
503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) should be waived with respect to certain eligible
articles from certain beneficiary developing countries.
Pursuant to section 503(d) of the 1974 Act, I have determined
that the competitive need limitations of section 503(c)(2)(A) of the
1974 Act should be waived with respect to certain eligible articles from
certain beneficiary developing countries. I have received the advice of
the International Trade Commission on whether any industries in the
United States are likely to be adversely affected by such waivers, and I
have determined, based on that advice and on the considerations
described in sections 501 and 502(c) of the 1974 Act, that such waivers
are in the national economic interest of the United States.
Pursuant to section 507(2) of the 1974 Act, I have determined
that Cambodia should be added to the list of countries identified in
general note 4(a) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS) as members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
that shall be treated as one country for purposes of title V of the 1974
Act.
Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), authorizes the
President to embody in the HTS the substance of the relevant provisions
of that Act, and of other acts affecting import treatment, and actions
thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or
imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States
of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and the laws of the United States of America, including but not limited
to title V and section 604 of the 1974 Act, do proclaim that:
(1) In order to provide for the designation of Gabon and Mongolia as
beneficiary developing countries under the GSP, and to modify the names
of two previously designated beneficiary developing countries, general
note 4(a) to the HTS is modified as provided in sections A(1), A(2) and
A(3) of Annex I to this proclamation and general note 4(b) to the HTS is
modified as provided in section B of Annex I to this proclamation.
(2) In order to provide for the addition of Cambodia to the list of
members of ASEAN that shall be treated as one country for purposes of
title V of the 1974 Act, general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified as
provided in section A(4) of Annex I to this proclamation.
(3) In order to provide for the restoration of preferential treatment
for Mauritania as a least-developed beneficiary developing country under
the GSP, general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified as provided in section
C(1) of Annex I to this proclamation and general note 4(b) to the HTS is
modified as provided in section C(2) of Annex I to this proclamation.
(4) In order to provide that certain countries that have not been
treated as beneficiary developing countries with respect to one or more
eligible articles should be designated as beneficiary developing
countries with respect to such article or articles for purposes of the
GSP, and that certain countries should not be treated as beneficiary
developing countries with respect to one or more eligible articles for
purposes of the GSP, general note 4(d) to the HTS is modified as
provided in section D of Annex I to this proclamation and the Rates of
Duty 1-Special subcolumn for the HTS subheadings enumerated in section E
of Annex I to this proclamation is modified as provided in such section.
(5) A waiver of the application of section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974
Act shall apply to the eligible articles in the HTS subheadings and to
the beneficiary developing countries set forth in Annex II to this
proclamation.
(6) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive orders
that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are
superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.
(7)(a) The modifications to the HTS made by Annex I to this
proclamation shall be effective on the dates specified in such annex.
(b) The action taken in Annex II to this proclamation shall be
effective on the date of signature of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of
the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-third.