[DOCID: f:hd006.110]
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110th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 110-6
TO MODIFY THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES WITH RESPECT TO EAST
TIMOR
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
NOTIFICATION OF HIS INTENTION TO ADD EAST TIMOR TO THE LIST OF
BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND TO THE LIST OF LEAST-DEVELOPED
BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES UNDER THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF
PREFERENCES, SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 502(f) OF THE TRADE
ACT OF 1974
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
January 9, 2007.--Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and
ordered to be printed
The White House,
Washington, December 29, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: In accordance with section 502(f) of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the ``Act''), I am notifying the
Congress of my intent to add East Timor to the list of
beneficiary developing countries and to the list of least-
developed beneficiary developing countries under the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). I have carefully
considered the criteria set forth in sections 501 and 502 of
the Act. In light of these criteria, I have determined that it
is appropriate to designate East Timor as a GSP beneficiary
developing country and to extend least-developed beneficiary
developing country benefits to East Timor.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act
and the Generalized System of Preferences
----------
By the President of the United States of America
A PROCLAMATION
1. Section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended
(the ``1974 Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(1)), as added by section
111(a) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (title I of
Public Law 106-200) (AGOA), authorizes the President to
designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA (19
U.S.C. 3706) as a ``beneficiary sub-Saharan African country''
if the President determines that the country meets the
eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA
(19 U.S.C. 3703), as well as the eligibility criteria set forth
in section 502 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462).
2. Section 104 of the AGOA authorizes the President to
designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA as an
``eligible sub-Saharan African country'' if the President
determines that the country meets certain eligibility
requirements.
3. Section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA (19 U.S.C.
3721(b)(3)(B)) provides special rules for certain apparel
articles imported from ``lesser developed beneficiary sub-
Saharan African countries.''
4. Pursuant to section 104 of the AGOA and section
506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that the Republic
of Liberia (Liberia) meets the eligibility requirements set
forth or referenced therein, and I have decided to designate
Liberia as an eligible sub-Saharan African country and as a
beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.
5. I further determine that Liberia satisfies the criterion
for treatment as a ``lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan
African country'' under section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA.
6. Pursuant to sections 501 and 502(a) of the 1974 Act (19
U.S.C. 2461, 2462(a)), the President is authorized to designate
countries as beneficiary developing countries and to designate
any beneficiary developing country as a least-developed
beneficiary developing country, for purposes of the Generalized
System of Preferences (GSP) program.
7. Section 502(b)(1)(C) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C.
2462(b)(1)(C)) specifies that European Union Member States may
not be designated as beneficiary developing countries for
purposes of the GSP.
8. Section 507(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2467(2))
provides that in the case of an association of countries that
is a free trade area or customs union, or that is contributing
to a comprehensive regional economic integration among its
members through appropriate means, the President may provide
that members of such an association other than members that 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 the GSP.
9. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and taking into
account the factors set forth in section 502(c) (19 U.S.C.
2462(c)), I have determined that East Timor should be
designated as a beneficiary developing country under the GSP.
10. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and having
considered the factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c), I
have also determined that East Timor should be designated as a
least-developed beneficiary developing country for purposes of
the GSP.
11. In accordance with section 502(b)(1)(C) of the 1974
Act, I have determined that, Bulgaria and Romania may no longer
be designated as beneficiary developing countries for purposes
of the GSP, effective for each of these countries when it
becomes a European Union Member State.
12. On June 29, 2005, I determined that currently
qualifying members of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) should be treated as one country for
purposes of the GSP. In Proclamation 7912 of that date, I added
SAARC and the currently qualifying countries to general note
4(a) to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). Pursuant to
section 507(2) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that
Afghanistan should be designated as a member of SAARC for
purposes of the GSP on the date that it becomes a SAARC member.
13. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), as
amended, authorizes the President to embody in the HTS of the
United States the substance of relevant provisions of that Act,
or other acts affecting import treatment, and of actions taken
thereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 section 104 of the AGOA and title
V and section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2461-67, 2483), do
proclaim that:
(1) Liberia is designated as an eligible sub-Saharan
African country and as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African
country.
(2) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS,
general note 16(a) to the HTS is modified by inserting in
alphabetical sequence in the list of beneficiary sub-Saharan
African countries ``Republic of Liberia,'' effective with
respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for
consumption, on or after January 1, 2007.
(3) For purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA,
Liberia is a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African
country.
(4) East Timor is designated as a beneficiary developing
country for purposes of the GSP.
(5) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS,
general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by adding in
alphabetical order ``East Timor'' to the list entitled,
``Independent Countries,'' effective with respect to articles
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or
after the twentieth day after the date of this proclamation.
(6) East Timor is designated as a least-developed
beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP.
(7) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS,
general note 4(b)(i) is modified by adding in alphabetical
order ``East Timor,'' effective with respect to articles
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or
after the sixty-fifth day after the date of this proclamation.
(8) Bulgaria and Romania shall no longer be designated as
beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the GSP upon
the date that each country becomes a European Union Member
State. The United States Trade Representative shall announce
each such date in a notice published in the Federal Register.
(9) In order to reflect these changes in the HTS, general
note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by deleting ``Bulgaria'' and
``Romania'' from the list entitled, ``Independent Countries,''
effective for each of these countries with respect to articles
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or
after the day on which that country becomes a European Union
Member State.
(10) Afghanistan is designated as a member of the South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for purposes
of the GSP on the date that it becomes a SAARC member. The
United States Trade Representative shall announce such date in
a notice published in the Federal Register.
(11) In order to reflect this determination in the HTS,
general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by adding in
alphabetical order ``Afghanistan'' to the list entitled,
``Member Countries of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC),'' effective with respect to articles
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or
after the day on which Afghanistan becomes a SAARC member.
(12) 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and thirty-first.
George W. Bush.
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