Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Materials Message to the Senate Transmitting a Protocol to the Agreement.

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Protocol to the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Materials, adopted at Nairobi, Kenya, on November 26, 1976, and opened for signature at the United Nations on March 1, 1977. I also transmit, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the Protocol.

The Protocol amends and expands the coverage of the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, which was adopted at Florence in July 1950, opened for signature on November 22, 1950, and entered into force for the United States on November 2, 1966. The purpose of the original Agreement was to facilitate the international flow of educational, scientific, and cultural materials, and generally the exchange of ideas, through the extension of duty-free treatment to a range of such educational, scientific and cultural materials. The present Protocol substantially broadens the list of eligible products, including those for the advancement of the blind and other handicapped persons.

Ratification of the Protocol is expected to have important beneficial effects on United States exports of products covered by the Agreement. It will also result in important benefits for the blind and handicapped in this country. I recommend, therefore, that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to the Protocol and advise and consent to its ratification.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

January 16, 1981.