Executive Order 12302—Amending the Generalized System of Preferences

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, including Title V of the Trade Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 2066, 19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq.) as amended, Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 2073, 19 U.S.C. 2483), and Section 503 (a) (2) (A) of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (93 Stat. 251), and as President of the United States of America, in order to modify, as provided by Sections 504 (a) and (c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 2070, 19 U.S.C. 2464(a) and (c)), the limitations on peferential treatment for eligible articles from countries designated as beneficiary developing countries, to adjust the original designation of eligible articles taking into account information and advice received in fulfillment of Sections 503(a) and 131-134 of the Trade Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 2069, 19 U.S.C. 2463; 88 Stat. 1994, 19 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) and to modify the designations of beneficiary developing countries in accord with my notification to the Congress of March 17, 1981, and in accord with technical changes in the identification of certain beneficiary developing countries, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. In order to subdivide existing items for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS) (19 U.S.C. 1202) are modified as provided in Annex I, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 2. Annex II of Executive Order No. 11888 of November 24, 1975, as amended, listing articles that are eligible for benefits of the GSP when imported from any designated beneficiary developing country, is amended by substituting therefor the new Annex II attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 3. Annex III of Executive Order No. 11888, as amended, listing articles that are eligible for benefits of the GSP when imported from all designated beneficiary countries except those specified in General Headnote 3(c) (iii) of the TSUS, is amended by substituting therefor the new Annex III, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 4. General Headnote 3(c) (iii) of the TSUS, listing articles that are eligible for benefits of the GSP except when imported from the beneficiary countries listed opposite those articles, is amended by substituting therefor the General Headnote 3(c) (iii) set forth in Annex IV, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 5. In order to provide staged reductions in the rates of duty for those new TSUS items created by Annex I to this Order, Annex III to Proclamation 4707 of December 11, 1979, and Annex III to Proclamation 4768 of June 28, 1980, are amended by Annex V to this Order, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 6. General Headnote 3(c) (i) of the TSUS is modified as provided in Annex VI, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 7. In order to provide special treatment for the least developed developing countries (LDDC's) with regard to TSUS items 387.25 and 387.35, Annex IV of Proclamation 4707 of December 11, 1979, is amended by Annex VII to this Order, attached hereto and made a part hereof.

Sec. 8. Whenever the column 1 rate of duty in the TSUS for any item specified in Annex I to this Order is reduced to the same level as, or to a lower level than, the corresponding rate of duty inserted in the column entitled "LDDC" by Annex I or VII of this Order, the rate of duty in the column entitled "LDDC" for such item shall be deleted from the TSUS.

Sec. 9. Annexes III and IV of Proclamation 4707 of December 11, 1979, and Annex III of Proclamation 4768 of June 28, 1980, are superseded to the extent inconsistent with this Order.

Sec. 10. The amendments made by this Order shall be effective with respect to articles both: (1) imported on and after January 1, 1976, and (2) entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on and after March 31, 1981.

RONALD REAGAN

The White House,

April 1, 1981.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:43 a.m., April 1, 1981]