THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                            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.

     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 func-tions 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.

     (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





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