[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 2000)]
[Pages 2961-2963]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7383--To Implement Title V of the Trade and Development Act 
of 2000 and to Modify the Generalized System of Preferences

 December 1, 2000

 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.
    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.

[[Page 2962]]

    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.
    (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.

[[Page 2963]]

    (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.
     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.
                                            William J. Clinton

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., December 5, 
2000]

Note: This proclamation and the attached annexes were published in the 
Federal Register on December 6. This item was not received in time for 
publication in the appropriate issue.