[House Document 108-166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                                     

108th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 108-166

 
     TO MODIFY DUTY-FREE TREATMENT UNDER THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF 
                              PREFERENCES

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DESIGNATE ALGERIA AS A BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING 
   COUNTRY AND TO TERMINATE THE DESIGNATION OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, 
   BARBADOS, BAHRAIN, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ESTONIA, HUNGARY, LATVIA, 
 LITHUANIA, POLAND, AND SLOVAKIA AS BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, 
       PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 104-188, SEC. 1952(a) (110 STAT. 1917)




    March 2, 2004.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
         Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
    Consistent with section 502(f) of the Trade Act of 1974, as 
amended (the ``Act''), I am writing to inform you of my intent 
to designate Algeria as a beneficiary developing country and to 
terminate the designation of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, 
Bahrain, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, 
Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia as beneficiary developing 
countries for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences 
(GSP).
    I have 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 extend GSP benefits to 
Algeria. I have also determined that Antigua and Barbuda, 
Barbados, and Bahrain have become ``high income'' countries, 
and I therefore terminate their designation as beneficiary 
developing countries effective January 1, 2006. Furthermore, 
consistent with the Act's prohibition on designation of 
European Union member states as beneficiary developing 
countries, I am terminating such designation for the Czech 
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and 
Slovakia when they become European Union member states.

                                                    George W. Bush.
    The White House, March 1, 2004.
     To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of 
                              Preferences

                              ----------                              


            By the President of the United States of America

                             A PROCLAMATION

    1. Pursuant to sections 501 and 502(a)(1) of the Trade Act 
of 1974, as amended (the ``Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2461, 2462(a)(1), 
the President is authorized to designate countries as 
beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the 
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
    2. Section 502(b)(1)(C) of the 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.
    3. Section 502(e) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(e)) provides 
that the President shall terminate the designation of a country 
as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP if 
the President determines that such country has become a ``high 
income'' country as defined by the official statistics of the 
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 
Termination is effective on January 1 of the second year 
following the year in which such determination is made.
    4. Pursuant to sections 501 and 502(a)(1) of the Act, and 
having due regard for the factors set forth in section 501 of 
the Act and taking into account the factors set forth in 
section 502(c) (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)), I have decided to designate 
Algeria as a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the 
GSP.
    5. Consistent with section 502(b)(1)(C) of the Act, I have 
decided to terminate the designation of the Czech Republic, 
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia as 
beneficiary developing countries, with such termination to 
become effective for each of these countries when it becomes a 
European Union member state.
    6. Pursuant to section 502(e) of the Act, I have determined 
that Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, and Barbados have become 
``high income'' countries, and I am terminating the designation 
of those countries as beneficiary developing countries for 
purposes of the GSP, effective January 1, 2006.
    7. Section 604 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), authorizes the 
President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States (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, 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 title V and section 604 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2461-
2483), do proclaim that:
    (1) Algeria is designated as a beneficiary developing 
country for purposes of the GSP, effective 15 days after the 
date of this proclamation.
    (2) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS, 
general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by adding ``Algeria'' 
to the list entitled ``Independent Countries,'' effective with 
respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for 
consumption, on or after the fifteenth day after the date of 
this proclamation.
    (3) The designation of the Czech Republic, Estonia, 
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia as beneficiary 
developing countries for purposes of the GSP is terminated for 
each country on the date when it becomes a European Union 
member state. The United States Trade Representative shall 
announce each such date in a notice published in the Federal 
Register.
    (4) In order to reflect these terminations in the HTS, 
general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by deleting ``Czech 
Republic,'' ``Estonia,'' ``Hungary,'' ``Latvia,'' 
``Lithuania,'' ``Poland,'' and ``Slovakia'' from the list of 
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.
    (5) The designation of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, and 
Barbados as beneficiary developing countries for purposes of 
the GSP is terminated, effective on January 1, 2006.
    (6) In order to reflect this termination in the HTS, and to 
make other changes to update the list of Caribbean Common 
Market (CARICOM) member countries, effective with respect to 
articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, 
on or after January 1, 2006, general note 4(a) to the HTS is 
modified by:
          (a) deleting ``Antigua and Barbuda,'' ``Bahrain,'' 
        and ``Barbados'' from the list of independent 
        countries,
          (b) deleting ``Antigua and Barbuda'' and ``Barbados'' 
        from the list of the ``Member Countries of the 
        Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM), except The Bahamas'' 
        under the provision ``Associations of Countries 
        (treated as one country),'' and
          (c) deleting ``Member Countries of the Caribbean 
        Common Market (CARICOM), except The Bahamas'' and 
        inserting ``Member Countries of the Caribbean Common 
        Market (CARICOM)'' in lieu thereof, and deleting 
        ``Consisting of:'' before the list of countries and 
        inserting ``Currently qualifying:'' in lieu thereof.
    (7) 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 first 
day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of 
the Independence of the United States of America the two 
hundred and twenty-eighth.

                                                    George W. Bush.

                                
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