[Federal Register: October 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 199)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56015-56016]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15oc99-141]                         

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

 
United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act; 
Designation of Qualifying Industrial Zones

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Under the United States--Israel Free Trade Area Implementation 
Act (``the ``IFTA Act''), products of qualifying industrial zones 
encompassing portions of Israel and Jordan or Israel and Egypt are 
eligible to receive duty-free treatment. Effective upon publication of 
this notice, the United States Trade Representative, pursuant to 
authority delegated by the President, is designating the Al-Kerak 
Industrial Estate, the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat 
Industrial City as qualifying industrial zones under the IFTA Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Lane, Director for the Middle 
East and Mediterranean, (202) 395-9569, Office of USTR, 600 17th 
Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to authority granted under section 
9 of the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of 
1985, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), the President proclaimed 
certain tariff

[[Page 56016]]

treatment for the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and qualifying industrial 
zones (Proclamation 6955 of November 13, 1996 (61 FR 58761)). In 
particular, the President proclaimed modifications to general notes 3 
and 8 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States: (a) To 
provide duty-free treatment to qualifying articles that are the product 
of the West Bank or Gaza Strip or a qualifying industrial zone and are 
entered in accordance with the provisions of section 9 of the IFTA Act; 
(b) to provide that articles of Israel may be treated as though they 
were articles directly shipped from Israel for the purposes of the 
United States--Israel Free Trade Area Agreement (``the Agreement'') 
even if shipped to the United States from the West Bank, the Gaza 
Strip, or a qualifying industrial zone, if the articles otherwise meet 
the requirements of the Agreement; and (c) to provide that the cost or 
value of materials produced in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, or a 
qualifying industrial zone may be included in the cost or value of 
materials produced in Israel under section 1(c)(i) of Annex 3 of the 
Agreement, and that the direct costs of processing operations performed 
in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, or a qualifying industrial zone may 
be included in the direct costs of processing operations performed in 
Israel under section 1(c)(ii) of Annex 3 of the Agreement.
    Section 9(e) of the IFTA Act defines a ``qualifying industrial 
zone'' as an area that ``(1) encompasses portions of the territory of 
Israel and Jordan or Israel and Egypt; (2) has been designated by local 
authorities as an enclave where merchandise may enter without payment 
of duty or exercise taxes; and (3) has been specified by the President 
as a qualifying industrial zone.'' In Proclamation 6955, the President 
delegated to the United States Trade Representative the authority to 
designate qualifying industrial zones.
    On March 13, 1998 (63 FR 12572), I designated the Irbid Qualifying 
Industrial Zone as a qualifying industrial zone under section 9 of the 
IFTA Act. Additionally, on March 19, 1999 (64 FR 13623), I designated 
the Gateway Projects Industrial Zone and the expanded Irbid Qualifying 
Industrial Zone as qualifying industrial zones under section 9 of the 
IFTA Act.
    In an agreement dated September 16, 1999, the Government of Israel 
and the Government of Jordan agreed to the creation of three additional 
qualifying industrial zones: the Al-Kerak Industrial Estate, the Ad-
Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat Industrial City. These 
zones encompass areas under the customs control of the respective 
Governments. The Government of Israel and the Government of Jordan 
further agreed that merchandise may enter these areas without payment 
of duty or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Al-Kerak Industrial Estate, 
the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat Industrial City 
meet the criteria under paragraphs 9(e)(1) and (2) of the IFTA Act.
    Therefore, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
President in Proclamation 6955, I hereby designate the Al-Kerak 
Industrial Estate, the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat 
Industrial City as qualifying industrial zones under section 9 of the 
IFTA Act, effective upon the date of publication of this notice, 
applicable to goods shipped from these qualifying industrial zones 
after such date.

    Dated: October 8, 1999.
Charlene Barshefsky,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 99-26880 Filed 10-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M