African Growth and Opportunity Act; beneficiary country designations (Proc. 8098), 459–461 ,
Agencies
[Federal Register: January 4, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 2)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 459-461]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04ja07-93]
Presidential Documents
[[Page 459]]
Proclamation 8098 of December 29, 2006
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.
[[Page 460]]
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
[[Page 461]]
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.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 07-00005
Filed 1-3-07; 11:03 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P
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