[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56015-56016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26880]
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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.
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SUMMARY: Under the United States--Israel Free Trade Area Implementation
Act (``the ``IFTA Act''), products 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 Al-Kerak
Industrial Estate, the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat
Industrial City as qualifying industrial zones under the IFTA Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Lane, Director for the Middle
East and Mediterranean, (202) 395-9569, Office of USTR, 600 17th
Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20508.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to authority granted under section
9 of the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of
1985, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), the President proclaimed
certain tariff
[[Page 56016]]
treatment for the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and qualifying industrial
zones (Proclamation 6955 of November 13, 1996 (61 FR 58761)). In
particular, the President proclaimed modifications to 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 or 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 the 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 exercise taxes; and (3) has been specified by the President
as a qualifying industrial zone.'' In Proclamation 6955, the President
delegated to the United States Trade Representative the authority to
designate qualifying industrial zones.
On March 13, 1998 (63 FR 12572), I designated the Irbid Qualifying
Industrial Zone as a qualifying industrial zone under section 9 of the
IFTA Act. Additionally, on March 19, 1999 (64 FR 13623), I designated
the Gateway Projects Industrial Zone and the expanded Irbid Qualifying
Industrial Zone as qualifying industrial zones under section 9 of the
IFTA Act.
In an agreement dated September 16, 1999, the Government of Israel
and the Government of Jordan agreed to the creation of three additional
qualifying industrial zones: the Al-Kerak Industrial Estate, the Ad-
Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat Industrial City. These
zones encompass areas under the customs control of the respective
Governments. The Government of Israel and the Government of Jordan
further agreed that merchandise may enter these areas without payment
of duty or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Al-Kerak Industrial Estate,
the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat Industrial City
meet the criteria under paragraphs 9(e)(1) and (2) of the IFTA Act.
Therefore, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
President in Proclamation 6955, I hereby designate the Al-Kerak
Industrial Estate, the Ad-Dulayl Industrial Park, and the Al-Tajamouat
Industrial City as qualifying industrial zones under section 9 of the
IFTA Act, effective upon the date of publication of this notice,
applicable to goods shipped from these qualifying industrial zones
after such date.
Dated: October 8, 1999.
Charlene Barshefsky,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 99-26880 Filed 10-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M