[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 6, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 76551-76557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31229]



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Part IX





The President





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Proclamation 7383--To Implement Title V of the Trade and Development 
Act of 2000 and To Modify the Generalized System of Preferences



Executive Order 13177--National Commission on the Use of Offsets in 
Defense Trade and President's Council on the Use of Offsets in 
Commercial Trade
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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 235 / Wednesday, December 6, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                Proclamation 7383 of December 1, 2000

                
To Implement Title V of the Trade and Development 
                Act of 2000 and To Modify the Generalized System of 
                Preferences

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                1. Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 
                (Public Law 106-200) (the ``Act'') modifies the tariff 
                treatment of certain imported wool articles.

                2. Section 501(a)(1) of the Act amends the Harmonized 
                Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to create a 
                new heading, 9902.51.11, for imports of certain worsted 
                wool fabrics with average fiber diameters greater than 
                18.5 microns. Section 501(d) of the Act limits the 
                quantity of imports under heading 9902.51.11, on an 
                annual basis, to 2,500,000 square meter equivalents or 
                such other quantity proclaimed by the President 
                pursuant to section 504(b)(3) of the Act.

                3. Section 501(b)(1) of the Act amends the HTS to 
                create a new heading, 9902.51.12, for imports of 
                certain worsted wool fabrics with average fiber 
                diameters of 18.5 microns or less. Section 501(d) of 
                the Act limits the quantity of imports under heading 
                9902.51.12, on an annual basis, to 1,500,000 square 
                meter equivalents or such other quantity proclaimed by 
                the President pursuant to section 504(b)(3) of the Act.

                4. Section 501(b)(2) of the Act authorizes the 
                President to proclaim a reduction in the rate of duty 
                applicable to imports of worsted wool fabrics 
                classified under heading 9902.51.12 of the HTS that is 
                necessary to equalize such rate of duty with the most 
                favored nation rate of duty applicable to imports of 
                such worsted wool fabrics into Canada.

                5. Section 501(e) of the Act provides that in 
                implementing the limitation on the quantity of imports 
                of worsted wool fabrics under headings 9902.51.11 and 
                9902.51.12 of the HTS, the President, consistent with 
                U.S. international obligations, shall take such action 
                as he determines appropriate to ensure that such 
                fabrics are fairly allocated to persons who cut and sew 
                men's and boys' worsted wool suits and suit-type 
                jackets and trousers in the United States and who apply 
                for an allocation based on the amount of such suits cut 
                and sewn during the prior calendar year.

                6. Section 503(a) of the Act requires the President to 
                proclaim 8-digit tariff categories for certain wool 
                yarn and wool fabrics with an average fiber diameter of 
                18.5 microns or less, and men's or boys' suits, suit-
                type jackets, and trousers of worsted wool fabric, made 
                of wool yarn with an average diameter of 18.5 microns 
                or less. Section 503(b) of the Act authorizes the 
                President to make conforming changes in the HTS to take 
                into account the new tariff categories proclaimed under 
                section 503(a).

                7. Section 504(a) of the Act requires the President to 
                monitor market conditions in the United States, 
                including domestic demand, domestic supply, and 
                increases in domestic production, of worsted wool 
                fabrics and their components in the market for (i) 
                men's or boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets, 
                and trousers, (ii) worsted wool fabrics and yarn used 
                in the manufacture of such apparel articles, and (iii) 
                wool used in the production of such fabrics and yarn.

[[Page 76552]]

                8. Section 504(b)(1) requires the President, on an 
                annual basis, to consider requests from domestic 
                manufacturers of apparel products made of worsted wool 
                fabrics described in section 504(a) to modify the 
                limitation on the quantity of imports of worsted wool 
                fabrics under headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12 of the 
                HTS.

                9. Section 504(b)(3) of the Act authorizes the 
                President, after taking into account the market 
                conditions set forth in section 504(b)(2) of the Act, 
                to modify the limitation on the quantity of imports of 
                worsted wool fabrics under headings 9902.51.11 and 
                9902.51.12 of the HTS, provided that any such 
                modification shall not exceed 1,000,000 square meter 
                equivalents annually for each heading, and to proclaim 
                any such modifications.

                10. Section 504(c) requires the President to issue 
                regulations to implement the provisions of section 504.

                11. I have determined that it is appropriate to 
                authorize the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to 
                perform certain functions specified in sections 501(e) 
                and 504(b) of the Act.

                12. I have determined that it is appropriate to 
                authorize the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 
                to perform certain functions specified in section 
                504(a) of the Act.

                 13. Sections 501 and 502 of the Trade Act of 1974, as 
                amended (the ``1974 Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2461 and 2462), 
                authorize the President to designate countries as 
                beneficiary developing countries and as least-developed 
                beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the 
                Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

                14. Pursuant to Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 
                1975, Western Samoa was designated as a beneficiary 
                developing country for purposes of the GSP. I have 
                determined that the designation of Western Samoa as a 
                beneficiary developing country under the GSP should be 
                modified so that the designation applies to Samoa. 
                Furthermore, pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, 
                and having due regard for the eligibility criteria set 
                forth therein, I have determined that it is appropriate 
                to designate Samoa as a least-developed beneficiary 
                developing country for purposes of the GSP.

                15. Proclamation 6425 of April 29, 1992, suspended the 
                application of duty-free treatment under the GSP for 
                certain handloomed cotton fabrics imported from India. 
                On September 14, 2000, the United States Government and 
                the Government of India entered into a Memorandum of 
                Understanding in which the United States agreed to 
                restore GSP treatment for certain handloomed cotton 
                fabrics. Pursuant to section 501 of the 1974 Act, I 
                have determined that it is appropriate to restore GSP 
                treatment for these articles to give effect to the 
                Memorandum of Understanding.

                16. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483) 
                authorizes the President to embody in the 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, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 section 301 of 
                title 3, United States Code, title V of the Act, and 
                sections 501, 502, and 604 of the 1974 Act, do proclaim 
                that:

                    (1) In order to provide separate tariff treatment 
                for the articles specified in section 503(a) of the 
                Act, the HTS is modified as provided in section A of 
                the Annex to this proclamation.
                    (2) In order to make conforming changes to take 
                into account the new permanent tariff categories 
                established in section A of the Annex to this 
                proclamation, the HTS is further modified as provided 
                in section B of the Annex to this proclamation.

[[Page 76553]]

                    (3) The Secretary is authorized to exercise the 
                authority set forth in section 501(e) of the Act to 
                allocate the quantity of imports of worsted wool 
                fabrics under headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12. Any 
                determination by the Secretary under this paragraph 
                shall be set forth in a notice or notices that the 
                Secretary shall cause to be published in the Federal 
                Register.
                    (4) The Secretary is authorized to monitor the most 
                favored nation rate of duty applicable to imports into 
                Canada of worsted wool fabrics of the kind classified 
                under heading 9902.51.12 of the HTS and shall notify 
                the President of any reduction, effective on or after 
                May 18, 2000, in the Canadian most favored nation rate 
                of duty on such imports. The Secretary shall cause to 
                be published in the Federal Register a notice 
                describing any such reduction.
                    (5) The Secretary is authorized to exercise the 
                authority set forth in section 504(b)(1) of the Act to 
                consider, on an annual basis, requests from domestic 
                manufacturers of apparel products made of worsted wool 
                fabrics described in section 504(a) to modify the 
                limitation on the quantity of imports of worsted wool 
                fabrics under headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12 of the 
                HTS.
                    (6) The Secretary is authorized to determine, under 
                section 504(b)(3) of the Act, whether the limitation on 
                the quantity of imports of worsted wool fabrics under 
                headings 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12 of the HTS should be 
                modified and to recommend to the President that 
                appropriate modifications be made.
                    (7) The Secretary is authorized to issue 
                regulations to implement the provisions of sections 501 
                and 504(b) of the Act, the implementation of which have 
                been delegated to the Secretary pursuant to paragraphs 
                3, 4, 5, and 6 of this proclamation.
                    (8) The USTR is authorized to exercise the 
                authority set forth in section 504(a) of the Act to 
                monitor market conditions in the United States for the 
                worsted wool articles specified in that section.
                    (9) In order to reflect a change in the name of a 
                designated beneficiary developing country for purposes 
                of the GSP, general note 4(a) to the HTS is modified by 
                striking ``Western Samoa'' and by inserting in 
                alphabetical sequence in lieu thereof ``Samoa'' in the 
                enumeration of independent beneficiary developing 
                countries.
                    (10) Samoa is designated as a least-developed 
                beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP 
                and title V of the 1974 Act. In order to reflect such 
                designation, general note 4(b)(i) to the HTS, 
                enumerating those countries designated as least-
                developed beneficiary developing countries for purposes 
                of the GSP, is modified by inserting in alphabetical 
                sequence ``Samoa.''
                    (11) In order to provide that India is again 
                treated as a beneficiary developing country with 
                respect to certain certified handloomed cotton fabrics 
                for purposes of the GSP program, the HTS is modified as 
                provided in section C of the Annex to this 
                proclamation.
                    (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.
                    (13) This proclamation is effective on the date of 
                signature of this proclamation, except that the 
                designation of Samoa as a least-developed beneficiary 
                developing country shall be effective with respect to 
                articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for 
                consumption, on or after the date that is 60 days from 
                the date of publication of this proclamation in the 
                Federal Register.

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                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of December, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

Billing code 3195-01-P

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[FR Doc. 00-31229
Filed 12-5-00; 8:45 am]
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