[House Document 110-6]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




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




   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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