Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 2 / Thursday, January 4, 2007 / Presidential Documents 459 

Proclamation 8098 of December 29, 2006 

To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Generalized System of Preferences 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

1. Section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the ‘‘1974 

Act’’)(19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(1)), as added by section 111(a) of the African Growth 

and Opportunity Act (title I of Public Law 106–200)(AGOA), authorizes 

the President to designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA 

(19 U.S.C. 3706) as a ‘‘beneficiary sub-Saharan African country’’ if the President determines that the country meets the eligibility requirements set forth 

in section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3703), as well as the eligibility 

criteria set forth in section 502 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462). 

2. Section 104 of the AGOA authorizes the President to designate a country 

listed in section 107 of the AGOA as an ‘‘eligible sub-Saharan African 

country’’ if the President determines that the country meets certain eligibility 

requirements. 

3. Section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3721(b)(3)(B)) provides special 

rules for certain apparel articles imported from ‘‘lesser developed beneficiary 

sub-Saharan African countries.’’ 

4. Pursuant to section 104 of the AGOA and section 506A(a)(1) of the 

1974 Act, I have determined that the Republic of Liberia (Liberia) meets 

the eligibility requirements set forth or referenced therein, and I have decided 

to designate Liberia as an eligible sub-Saharan African country and as a 

beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. 

5. I further determine that Liberia satisfies the criterion for treatment as 

a ‘‘lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country’’ under section 

112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA. 

6. Pursuant to sections 501 and 502(a) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2461, 

2462(a)), the President is authorized to designate countries as beneficiary 

developing countries and to designate any beneficiary developing country 

as a least-developed beneficiary developing country, for purposes of the 

Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. 

7. Section 502(b)(1)(C) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(b)(1)(C)) specifies 

that European Union Member States may not be designated as beneficiary 

developing countries for purposes of the GSP. 

8. Section 507(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2467(2)) provides that in 

the case of an association of countries that is a free trade area or customs 

union, or that is contributing to a comprehensive regional economic integration among its members through appropriate means, the President may provide that members of such an association other than members that are 

barred from designation under section 502(b) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 

2462(b)) shall be treated as one country for purposes of the GSP. 

9. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and taking into account the 

factors set forth in section 502(c)(19 U.S.C. 2462(c)), I have determined 

that East Timor should be designated as a beneficiary developing country 

under the GSP. 


pwalker on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
460 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 2 / Thursday, January 4, 2007 / Presidential Documents 

10. Pursuant to section 502 of the 1974 Act, and having considered the 

factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c), I have also determined that 

East Timor should be designated as a least-developed beneficiary developing 

country for purposes of the GSP. 

11. In accordance with section 502(b)(1)(C) of the 1974 Act, I have determined 

that Bulgaria and Romania may no longer be designated as beneficiary 

developing countries for purposes of the GSP, effective for each of these 

countries when it becomes a European Union Member State. 

12. On June 29, 2005, I determined that currently qualifying members of 

the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should be 

treated as one country for purposes of the GSP. In Proclamation 7912 of 

that date, I added SAARC and the currently qualifying countries to general 

note 4(a) to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). Pursuant to section 

507(2) of the 1974 Act, I have determined that Afghanistan should be designated as a member of SAARC for purposes of the GSP on the date that 

it becomes a SAARC member. 

13. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), as amended, authorizes 

the President to embody in the HTS of the United States the substance 

of relevant provisions of that Act, or other acts affecting import treatment, 

and of actions taken thereunder. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 but not limited 

to section 104 of the AGOA and title V and section 604 of the 1974 Act 

(19 U.S.C. 2461–67, 2483), do proclaim that: 

(1) Liberia is designated as an eligible sub-Saharan African country and 

as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. 

(2) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS, general note 16(a) to 

the HTS is modified by inserting in alphabetical sequence in the list of 

beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries ‘‘Republic of Liberia,’’ effective 

with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after January 1, 2007. 

(3) For purposes of section 112(b)(3)(B) of the AGOA, Liberia is a lesser 

developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. 

(4) East Timor is designated as a beneficiary developing country for purposes 

of the GSP. 

(5) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS, general note 4(a) to 

the HTS is modified by adding in alphabetical order ‘‘East Timor’’ to the 

list entitled, ‘‘Independent Countries,’’ effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the twentieth day after the date of this proclamation. 

(6) East Timor is designated as a least-developed beneficiary developing 

country for purposes of the GSP. 

(7) In order to reflect this designation in the HTS, general note 4(b)(i) 

is modified by adding in alphabetical order ‘‘East Timor,’’ effective with 

respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, 

on or after the sixty-fifth day after the date of this proclamation. 

(8) Bulgaria and Romania shall no longer be designated as beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the GSP upon the date that each country 

becomes a European Union Member State. The United States Trade Representative shall announce each such date in a notice published in the 

Federal Register. 

(9) In order to reflect these changes in the HTS, general note 4(a) to the 

HTS is modified by deleting ‘‘Bulgaria’’ and ‘‘Romania’’ from the list entitled, 

‘‘Independent Countries,’’ effective for each of these countries with respect 

to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or 


pwalker on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 2 / Thursday, January 4, 2007 / Presidential Documents 461 

after the day on which that country becomes a European Union Member 

State. 

(10) Afghanistan is designated as a member of the South Asian Association 

for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for purposes of the GSP on the date 

that it becomes a SAARC member. The United States Trade Representative 

shall announce such date in a notice published in the Federal Register. 

(11) In order to reflect this determination in the HTS, general note 4(a) 

to the HTS is modified by adding in alphabetical order ‘‘Afghanistan’’ to 

the list entitled, ‘‘Member Countries of the South Asian Association for 

Regional Cooperation (SAARC),’’ effective with respect to articles entered, 

or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the day on 

which Afghanistan becomes a SAARC member. 

(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. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth 

day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtyfirst. 

[FR Doc. 07–00005 

Filed 1–3–07; 11:03 am] 

Billing code 3195–01–P 


pwalker on PROD1PC65 with NOTICESGWBOLD.EPS</GPH>