WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
4 July 2012  
 
(12-3561) 
Committee on Trade and Development Original:   English 
  
 
GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES  
 
Notification by the United States 
 
Addendum 
   The following communication, dated 28 June 2012,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States.  It contains a notification by the United States pursuant to 
paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause, L/4903.  
 
_______________ 
  
1. The United States (US) Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme provides 
duty-free treatment for up to nearly 5,000 products exported to the US from 128 beneficiary 
developing countries.  Annual reviews of the GSP programme are conducted in accordance with US 
trade laws relating to the GSP programme.
1  
2009 Annual Review of GSP 
2. In July 2010, the US announced the outcome of its 2009 Annual Review of the GSP 
programme.  In the 2009 Annual Review, the US desi gnated certain additional products as eligible for 
duty-free treatment under the GSP programme (s ee Annex I) and removed one product from GSP 
eligibility for one beneficiary country (see Annex II).  The US also granted de minimis  waivers of the 
statutory "competitive need limitations" (CNLs) to en sure continued GSP duty-free benefits to certain 
products (see Annex III).  In addition, the US te rminated GSP eligibility for certain products from 
specific beneficiary countries that had exceeded CN Ls, based on a determination that imports from 
those beneficiary countries can compete effectively in  the US market (see Annex IV).  The US also 
revoked the CNL waiver, in accordance with the GSP st atute, for one product that had been granted a 
waiver of the CNL at least five years ago and th at was being imported at levels above a certain 
threshold (see Annex V). 
3. The results of the 2009 GSP Annual Review were published in the Federal Register  and are 
available for viewing on the Internet at: " http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-
development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/current-review-1 ." 
 
                                                      
1 The GSP statute is set out in WT/COMTD/N/1 /Add.4 and can be accesse d on the Internet at: 
"http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-development/p reference-programs/generalized-system-preference-
gsp/gsp-program-inf ."  (As noted below, the statute has been r eauthorized since it was last notified, but the 
language of the statute remains unchanged from  that which appears at WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.4.)  
 WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
Page 2  
 
  Reauthorization of the GSP Programme 
4. Legal authorization of the GSP progra mme lapsed from 1 January 2011 through 
3 November 2011.  During this time, products that would otherwise have been  eligible for duty-free 
treatment under GSP were subject to the most  favored nation rate.  On 21 October 2011, 
President Obama signed legislation to reauthori ze the GSP programme through 31 July 2013, with 
benefits retroactive to 1 January 2011.  As a result,  GSP-eligible goods arriving in the US on or after 
4 November 2011 were once again eligible upon en try for duty-free treatment under GSP.  The 
retroactive reauthorization enabled importers to re quest refunds of duties paid during the lapse.   
2010 Annual Review of GSP 
5. On 29 December 2011, the US announced the out come of its 2010 Annual Review of the GSP 
programme.  One product was removed from GSP elig ibility for all beneficiaries (see Annex VI).  
The 2010 Annual Review was truncated by the ten-month lapse of statutory authorization for the GSP programme in 2011.  As a result, no actions were  taken as part of th e 2010 Annual Review with 
respect to CNLs, CNL waivers, de minimis  waivers, or product redesignations.   
6. The results of the 2010 GSP Annual Review were published in the Federal Register  and are 
available for viewing on the Internet at: " http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-
development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/current-review-0 ."  
Changes to Lists of GSP Beneficiaries 
 
7. In January 2010, the US took several actions  related to country eligibility for the GSP 
programme pursuant to the statutes governing the programme.  Maldives was designated a beneficiary 
developing country for purposes of the GSP programme.  Cape Verde was removed as a 
least-developed beneficiary developing country, but  remained eligible for GSP benefits as a 
beneficiary developing country.  Trinidad and To bago became ineligible for the GSP programme, 
after a transition period, because its gross national income per capita exceeded  statutory thresholds. 
8. In addition, as of 1 January 2011, Croatia and Equatorial Guinea became ineligible to 
participate in the GSP programme, after a trans ition period, because their respective gross national 
incomes per capita exceeded statutory thresholds.  
9. On 26 March 2012, President Obama signed Presidential Proclamation 8788 suspending 
Argentina's benefits under the GSP programme, effectiv e 60 days from the date of publication of the 
Proclamation;  adding South Sudan as a GSP benefici ary, effective 20 days after the signing of the 
proclamation;  and designating South Sudan a least developed beneficiary country, effective 60 days 
after publication.  The Proclamation was published in the Federal Register  on 29 March 2012. 
10. On 14 May 2012, President Obama signed Pr esidential Proclamation 8818, announcing the 
entry into force of the US-Colombia Trade Agre ement and removing Colombia from the enumeration 
of designated GSP beneficiary countries, consistent w ith the terms of the legislation to implement the 
Agreement.  The Proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 18 May 2012.  WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
 Page 3 
 
 
  ANNEX I 
 
2009 GSP Annual Review: 
Products Added as Eligible for Duty-Free Treatment under GSP 
 
HTSUS  Description
0710.22.40 Beans nesi, uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen, reduced in size  
0710.90.91 Mixtures of vegetables nesi, uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen 
 
 
ANNEX II 
 
2009 GSP Annual Review: 
Products Removed from Duty-Free Treatment under GSP 
 
HTSUS  Country Description
7113.19.25 India Gold mixed lin k necklaces and neck chains 
 WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
Page 4  
 
  ANNEX III 
 
2009 GSP Annual Review:  Products Receiving De Minimis  Waivers 
 
HTSUS  Country  Description  
0406.20.51 Argentina Romano, reggiano, provolone, provoletti, sbrinz and goya, made from cow's 
milk, grated or powdered, subject  to add US note 21 to Ch.4 
0410.00.00 Indonesia Edible products of animal origin, nesi 
0603.13.00 Thailand Orchids, fresh cut 
0710.80.50 Turkey Tomatoes, uncooked or cooked by steaming or boiling in water, frozen, if 
entered Nov. 15 through the following February, incl. 
0711.40.00 India Cucumbers including gherkins, provisionally preserved but unsuitable in that 
state for immediate consumption 
0711.59.90 
 Jamaica 
 Truffles, provisionally preserved but un suitable in that state for immediate 
consumption 
0711.90.30 Lebanon 
 Capers, provisionally preserved but unsuitable in that state for immediate 
consumption 
0810.60.00 Thailand Durians, fresh 
0811.90.10 Ecuador Bananas and plantains, frozen, in water or containing added sweetening 
0813.40.10 Thailand Papayas, dried 
0813.40.80 Thailand Tamarinds, dried 
1106.30.40  Brazil 
 Fruit and nut flour, meal and powder of the products of chapter 8, other than 
of banana and plantain 
1202.10.40  Ecuador 
 Peanuts (ground-nuts) not roasted or cooked, in shell, subject to add. US note 
2 to Ch.12 
1601.00.40 Brazil Sausages and similar products of beef, beef offal or blood; food preparations 
based on these products, in airtight containers 
1604.14.50  Maldives 
 Tunas and skipjack, not in airtight containers, not in bulk or in immediate 
containers weighing with contents over 6.8 kg each 
1701.91.42 
 Brazil 
 Cane/beet sugar & pure sucrose, refined, solid, w/added flavoring, o/65% by 
wt. sugar, described. in Ch17 US note 2, subj. to gen note 15 
1806.10.34 Uruguay Cocoa powder, sweetened, neosi, subject to add US note 1 to Ch. 18 
1806.10.43 India Cocoa powder, o/90% by dry wt of sugar, subject to gen. note 15 of the HTS 
1806.32.01 Ecuador Chocolate, not filled, in blocks/slabs/bars 2kg or less, subj. to GN15 
1901.90.42 Indonesia 
 Dairy preps o/10% by wt of milk solids (descr. in add US note 1 to Ch. 4), 
neosi, subject to add US note 10 to Ch.4 
2001.90.45 India Mangoes, prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid 
2005.80.00 
 Thailand 
 Sweet corn, prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar, acetic acid or 
sugar, not frozen 
2005.91.97 
 India Vegetables nesoi,& mixtures of vegetables, prepared or preserved otherwise 
than by vinegar or acetic acid, not frozen, not preserved by sugar 
2008.30.96 Panama Citrus fruit nesoi (including bergamots), other than peel or pulp, otherwise 
prepared or preserved, nesoi 
2008.99.50 Thailand Papayas, other than pulp, otherwise prepared or preserved, nesi 
2101.12.32  Philippines 
 Preparations with a basis of extracts, e ssences or concentrates or with a basis 
of coffee, subject to general note 15 (outside quota) 
2103.90.72 Thailand 
 Mixed condiments and mixed seasonings (described in add US note 3 to Ch. 
21), subject to gen. note 15 of the HTS 
2306.50.00 
 Indonesia 
 Oilcake and other solid residues, resulting from the extraction of vegetable 
fats or oils, of coconut or copra 
2308.00.95 Egypt 
 Dehydrated marigolds, of a kind used  in animal feedin g, not elsewhere 
specified or included 
2516.12.00 India Granite, merely cut into blocks or slabs of a rectangular (including square) 
shape  WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
 Page 5 
 
 
  HTSUS  Country  Description  
2827.39.25 India Tin chlorides 
2827.39.45 India Barium chloride 
2827.60.51 Ukraine Iodides and iodide oxides, other than of calcium, copper or potassium 
2830.90.20 Russia Cadmium sulphide 
2831.90.00 India Dithionites and sulfoxylates, other than those of sodium 
2833.29.40 Turkey Chromium sulphate 
2840.11.00 Turkey Anhydrous disodium tetraborate (refined borax) 
2840.19.00 Turkey Disodium tetraborat e (refined borax) except anhydrous 
2844.10.10 Russia Natural uranium metal 
2849.10.00 Brazil Calcium carbide 
2905.19.10 Brazil Pentanol (Amyl alcohol) and isomers thereof 
2905.44.00 Indonesia D-glucitol (Sorbitol) 
2907.12.00 India Cresols and their salts 
2907.15.10 India alpha-Naphthol 
2907.29.25 India tert-Butylhydroquinone 
2909.11.00 India Diethyl ether 
2909.50.40 Indonesia Odoriferous or flavoring compounds of ether-phenols, ether-alcohol-phenols 
& their halogenated, sulfonated, nitrated, nitrosated derivatives 
2910.20.00 Brazil Methyloxirane (Propylene oxide) 
2912.49.10 India p-Anisaldehyde 
2913.00.50 India Nonaromatic halogenated, sulfonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of 
products of heading 2912 
2914.40.20 India 1,2,3-Indantrione monohydrate (Ninhydrin) 
2915.39.10 India Benzyl acetate 
2915.60.10 India Aromatic salts and este rs of butyric acids and valeric acids 
2917.14.10 Brazil Maleic anhydride derived in whole or in part from benzene or other aromatic 
hydrocarbons 
2921.42.21 India Metanilic acid 
2921.42.55 India Fast color bases of aniline derivatives and their salts 
2924.29.36 India Naphthol AS and derivatives, nesoi 
2926.90.08 India Benzonitrile 
2927.00.30 India Fast color bases and fast color salts, of diazo-, azo- or azoxy-compounds 
2932.29.25 India 4-Hydroxycoumarin 
2933.19.45 
 India 
 Nonaromatic drugs of heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom(s) 
only containing an unfused pyrazole ring 
2933.49.08 India 4,7-Dichloroquinoline 
3824.90.31 Brazil Chemical mixtures nesoi, of two or more inorganic compounds, of bismuth 
3824.90.32 Brazil Chemical mixtures nesoi, of two or more inorganic compounds, of 
hydrosulfite or sulfoxylate compounds or of both 
4012.12.80  India Retreaded pnuematic tires (nonradials), of rubber, of a kind used on buses or 
trucks 
4101.50.40 Argentina Whole raw bovine hides and skins (not buffalo), weight over 16 kg, surface 
area over 2.6 m2, vegetable pretanned but not further prepared 
4104.11.30 India Full grain unsplit or grain split buffalo hide or skin, w/o hair on, tanned but 
not further prepared, surface ov 2.6 m2, in the wet state 
4104.11.40 Argentina Full grain unsplit/grain split bovine nesoi and equine upper & sole 
hides/skins, w/o hair, tanned but not further prepared, in the wet state 
4104.41.30  Brazil 
 Crust full grain unsp lit or grain split buffalo hides and skins, surface area over 
2.6 m2, without hair on, tanned but not further prepared WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
Page 6  
 
  HTSUS  Country  Description  
4104.41.40 Brazil Crust full grain unsplit/grain split bovine (ex. buffalo) nesoi/equine 
hides/skins upper/sole leather, w/o hair, tanned not further prepared 
4106.21.90 India Hides and skins of goats or kids, without hair on, tanned but not further 
prepared, in the wet state other than wet blue 
4106.22.00 Pakistan 
 Hides and skins of goats or kids, without hair on, tanned but not further 
prepared, in the dry state (crust) 
4107.11.60 Turk ey Full grain unsplit upper & sole leathe r of bovines (not buffalo) nesoi or 
equine, w/o hair on, prepared after tanning or crusting, not 4114 
4107.12.40 Thailand Grain split whole buffalo leather, without hair on, unit surface area over 2.6 
sq m, prepared after tanning or crusting, not of heading 4114 
4107.19.40 India Whole buffalo skin leather (not full grain unsplits/grain splits), w/o hair on, 
over 2.6 sq m, prepared after tanning or crusting, not 4114 
4107.19.60 Brazil Whole upper & sole leather of bovines (not buffalo) nesoi or equines nesoi, 
without hair on, prepared after tanning or crusting, not 4114 
4107.91.40 Argentina Full grain unsplit buffalo leat her (not whole), w/o hair on, prepared after 
tanning or crusting (including parchment-dressed), not head 4114 
4107.99.40 Pakistan Buffalo leather other than full grains unsplit & grain splits, not whole, w/o 
hair on, prepared after tanning or crusting, not heading 4114 
4113.10.60  Pakistan 
 Goat or kidskin leather, without hair on, fancy, further prepared after tanning 
or crusting, other than of heading 4114 
4114.10.00 Turkey Chamois (including combination chamois) leather 
4601.22.40 Philippines Woven or partly assembled materials of rattan for mats, matting and screens 
4601.93.05  India 
 Plaits of rattan and similar products of such plaiting materials, whether or not 
assembled into strips 
4602.11.05 India Fishing baskets or creels made from bamboo 
4602.19.23 Philippines Articles of a kind normally carried in the pocket or handbag, of palm leaf 
5208.31.20 India Dyed plain weave certified hand-loomed fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or 
more cotton by weight, weighing not more than 100 g/m2 
5209.31.30 India Dyed, plain weave certified hand-loomed fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or 
more cotton by weight, weighing more than 200 g/m2 
5209.41.30 India Plain weave certified hand-loomed fabrics of cotton, cont. 85% or more 
cotton by weight, weighing over 200 g/m2, of yarns of different colors 
5607.90.35 Philippines Twine,  cordage, rope & cables of abaca or other hard (leaf) fi bers, other than 
stranded construction or stranded n/o 1.88 cm in diameter 
6801.00.00 India Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone (except slate) 
6911.10.60 Thailand Porcelain or china (o/than bone china) household serviette rings 
7113.20.25 India Base metal clad w/gold mixed link necklaces and neck chains 
7202.99.20 Argentina Calcium silicon ferroalloys 
7325.91.00 India Iron or steel, cast grinding balls and similar articles for mills 
7601.20.30 
 India 
 Aluminum alloys, unwrought, in coils, w/uniform x-section throughout length 
& w/least cross-sectional dimension n/o 9.5 mm 
7614.10.50 
 India Aluminum, stranded wire, cables & the like w/steel core, not electrically 
insulated, fitted with fittings or made up into articles 
8007.00.20 Brazil Tin, plates, sheets and strip, of a thickness exceeding 0.20 mm 
8112.12.00 Kazakhstan Beryllium, unwrought; beryllium powders 
8112.59.00 Russia Articles of thallium, nesoi 
8112.99.10 Russia Germanium nesoi and articles thereof 
8202.40.30 
 Brazil Chain saw blades & base metal parts thereof, w/cutting parts cont. o/0.2% of 
Cr, Mo or W, or o/0.1% of V 
8404.20.00 Indonesia Condensers for steam or other vapor power units 
8410.13.00 Brazil Hydraulic turbines and water wheels of a power exceeding 10,000 kW 
8507.40.40 Philippines Nickel-iron storage batteries , of a kind used as the primary source of 
electrical power for el ectrically powered vehicles of 8703.90  WT/COMTD/N/1/Add.8 
 Page 7 
 
 
  HTSUS  Country  Description  
9010.50.30 
 India 
 Editors and combination editor-splicers, for cinematographic film, containing 
an optical lens or designed to contain such a lens 
9027.50.10 Philippines Exposure meters 
9205.90.14  India 
 Keyboard musical instruments, o/than w/elect. sound or ampl., harmoniums 
and similar keyboard instruments with free metal reeds 
9603.10.90 Sri Lanka Brooms & brushes of twigs or vegetable materials (o/than broom corn) bound 
together, w/ or w/o handles 
 
 
ANNEX IV 
 
2009 GSP Annual Review:  Products Ne wly Subject to CNL Exclusions 
 
HTSUS Partner Description 
1605.20.05 
 Thailand Shrimp and prawn products containing fish meat; prepared meals of shrimps or 
prawns 
4011.10.10 
 Thailand 
 New pneumatic radial tires, of rubber, of a kind used on motor cars (including 
station wagons and racing cars) 
4409.29.05 
 Brazil 
 Non-coniferous wood continuously shaped along any of its ends, whether or not 
also continuously shaped alon g any of its edges or faces 
7113.19.21 India Gold rope necklaces and neck chains 
 
 
ANNEX V 
 
2009 GSP Annual Review:  Products fo r which a CNL Waiver was Revoked  
 
HTSUS Partner Description 
7113.19.25 India Gold mixed lin k necklaces and neck chains 
 
 
ANNEX VI 
 
2010 GSP Annual Review: 
Products Removed from Duty-Free Treatment under GSP 
 
HTSUS Description 
9404.30.80 Sleeping bags, not containing 20% or more by weight of feathers and/or down 
 
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