United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act; Designation of Qualifying Industrial Zones, 4482 [E9-1589]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
4482
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 15 / Monday, January 26, 2009 / Notices
submission should be included in the
same file as the submission itself and
not as separate files. All nonconfidential comments and reply
comments will be placed on the USTR
Web site, https://www.USTR.gov
pursuant to 15 CFR 2003.5.
We strongly urge submitters to avail
themselves of the electronic filing, if at
all possible. If an on-line submission is
impossible, alternative arrangements
must be made with Ms. Blue prior to
delivery for the receipt of such
submissions. Ms. Blue should be
contacted at (202) 395–3475. General
information concerning the Office of the
United States Trade Representative may
be obtained by accessing its Internet
Web site (https://www.ustr.gov).
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. E9–1515 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W9–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
United States-Israel Free Trade Area
Implementation Act; Designation of
Qualifying Industrial Zones
Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under the United States-Israel
Free Trade Area Implementation Act
(IFTA Act), articles 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 Beni Suief zone and the
Al Minya zone as qualifying industrial
zones under the IFTA Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sonia Franceski, Director for Middle
East Affairs, (202) 395–4987, Office of
the United States Trade Representative,
600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20508.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to authority granted under section 9 of
the United States-Israel Free Trade Area
Implementation Act of 1985 (IFTA Act),
as amended (19 U.S.C. 2112 note),
Presidential Proclamation 6955 of
November 13, 1996 (61 FR 58761)
proclaimed certain tariff treatment for
articles of the West Bank, the Gaza
Strip, and qualifying industrial zones. In
particular, the Presidential Proclamation
modified general notes 3 and 8 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:20 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 217001
United States: (a) To provide duty-free
treatment to qualifying articles that are
the product of the West Bank, the 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
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 excise taxes; and (3)
has been specified by the President as
a qualifying industrial zone.’’
Presidential Proclamation 6955
delegated to the United States Trade
Representative the authority to
designate qualifying industrial zones.
The United States Trade
Representative has previously
designated qualifying industrial zones
under Section 9 of the IFTA Act on
March 13, 1998 (63 FR 12572), March
19, 1999 (64 FR 13623), October 15,
1999 (64 FR 56015), October 24, 2000
(65 FR 64472), and December 12, 2000
(65 FR 77688), June 15, 2001 (66 FR
32660), January 28, 2004 (69 FR 4199),
December 29, 2004 (69 FR 78094), and
November 16, 2005 (70 FR 69622).
The governments of Israel and Egypt
jointly requested in a letter submitted to
the United States Trade Representative
on January 5, 2009 the designation as a
qualifying industrial zone of the areas
comprising the Beni Suief and Al Minya
zones. The names and locations of the
currently producing factories
comprising the Beni Suief zone and the
Al Minya zone are specified on maps
and materials submitted by Egypt and
Israel and are on file with the Office of
the U.S. Trade Representative. Israel
PO 00000
Frm 00115
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and Egypt have agreed that merchandise
may enter, without payment of duty or
excise taxes, areas under their
respective customs control that
comprise the Beni Suief zone and the Al
Minya zone. Further, the operation and
administration of these zones are
provided for in the previously agreed
‘‘Protocol between the Government of
the State of Israel and the Government
of the Arab Republic of Egypt On
Qualifying Industrial Zones.’’
Accordingly, the Beni Suief zone and
the Al Minya zone meet the criteria
under sections 9(e)(1) and (2) of the
IFTA Act.
Therefore, pursuant to the authority
delegated to me by Presidential
Proclamation 6955, I hereby designate
the areas occupied by the currently
producing factories that comprise the
Beni Suief zone and the Al Minya zone
as specified on maps and materials
received from Egypt and Israel, as
qualifying industrial zones under
section 9 of the IFTA Act, effective upon
the date of publication of this notice,
applicable to articles shipped from these
qualifying industrial zones after such
date.
Susan C. Schwab,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E9–1589 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W9–P
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.
SUMMARY: Under the United States-Israel
Free Trade Area Implementation Act
(IFTA Act), articles 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 Shoubak, Shouneh Wistah,
Madaba/Dalilet, Irbid/Al-Westieyn, and
Al-Tafileh as qualifying industrial zones
under the IFTA Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sonia Franceski, Director for Middle
East Affairs, (202) 395–4987, Office of
the United States Trade Representative,
600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20508.
E:\FR\FM\26JAN1.SGM
26JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 15 (Monday, January 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 4482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1589]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation
Act (IFTA Act), articles 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 Beni Suief zone and the Al Minya
zone as qualifying industrial zones under the IFTA Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sonia Franceski, Director for Middle
East Affairs, (202) 395-4987, Office of the United States Trade
Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to authority granted under section
9 of the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of
1985 (IFTA Act), as amended (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), Presidential
Proclamation 6955 of November 13, 1996 (61 FR 58761) proclaimed certain
tariff treatment for articles of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and
qualifying industrial zones. In particular, the Presidential
Proclamation modified 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, the 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 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 excise taxes; and (3) has been specified by the President as
a qualifying industrial zone.''
Presidential Proclamation 6955 delegated to the United States Trade
Representative the authority to designate qualifying industrial zones.
The United States Trade Representative has previously designated
qualifying industrial zones under Section 9 of the IFTA Act on March
13, 1998 (63 FR 12572), March 19, 1999 (64 FR 13623), October 15, 1999
(64 FR 56015), October 24, 2000 (65 FR 64472), and December 12, 2000
(65 FR 77688), June 15, 2001 (66 FR 32660), January 28, 2004 (69 FR
4199), December 29, 2004 (69 FR 78094), and November 16, 2005 (70 FR
69622).
The governments of Israel and Egypt jointly requested in a letter
submitted to the United States Trade Representative on January 5, 2009
the designation as a qualifying industrial zone of the areas comprising
the Beni Suief and Al Minya zones. The names and locations of the
currently producing factories comprising the Beni Suief zone and the Al
Minya zone are specified on maps and materials submitted by Egypt and
Israel and are on file with the Office of the U.S. Trade
Representative. Israel and Egypt have agreed that merchandise may
enter, without payment of duty or excise taxes, areas under their
respective customs control that comprise the Beni Suief zone and the Al
Minya zone. Further, the operation and administration of these zones
are provided for in the previously agreed ``Protocol between the
Government of the State of Israel and the Government of the Arab
Republic of Egypt On Qualifying Industrial Zones.'' Accordingly, the
Beni Suief zone and the Al Minya zone meet the criteria under sections
9(e)(1) and (2) of the IFTA Act.
Therefore, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by
Presidential Proclamation 6955, I hereby designate the areas occupied
by the currently producing factories that comprise the Beni Suief zone
and the Al Minya zone as specified on maps and materials received from
Egypt and Israel, as qualifying industrial zones under section 9 of the
IFTA Act, effective upon the date of publication of this notice,
applicable to articles shipped from these qualifying industrial zones
after such date.
Susan C. Schwab,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E9-1589 Filed 1-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W9-P
