ExecutiveOrdersEO
Proc 8033ProclamationG.W. Bush · R Quiet signal

Proclamation 8033

To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences

President Bush modified U.S. trade preferences under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), terminating duty-free treatment for certain products from specific beneficiary developing countries that exceeded competitive import limits in 2005, while redesignating other countries for certain products and waiving competitive need limits for low-volume imports. The proclamation also made technical amendments to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to reflect Barbados's prior removal as a beneficiary country.

Federal Register Open PDF 71 FR 38255

Impact dates

  1. Barbados GSP termination effective date (from prior Proclamation 7758)

Key directives

  • Modify general note 4(d) to the HTS to redesignate certain countries as beneficiary developing countries and remove others from GSP eligibility for specified articles
  • Modify Rates of Duty 1-Special subcolumn to designate certain articles as eligible for GSP treatment from any beneficiary developing country
  • Modify Rates of Duty 1-Special subcolumn to remove GSP treatment for certain articles from certain countries
  • Disregard competitive need limitations for certain eligible articles from certain beneficiary developing countries where 2005 imports did not exceed statutory threshold
  • Update HTS general note 4(d) to reflect Barbados's high-income country determination from Proclamation 7758
  • Supersede inconsistent provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders

Timeline

Immediate

  • duty-free treatment terminated for specified articles exceeding 2005 competitive need limitations
  • redesignation of certain countries as beneficiary developing countries for specified articles
  • competitive need limitations waived for certain low-volume imports
  • technical HTS amendment for Barbados effective

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

  • ongoing GSP program adjustments based on annual competitive need reviews

Risks & tensions

  • Specific countries and products affected are in annexes not provided in text; precise commercial impact cannot be assessed without Annex I and Annex II
  • Annual competitive need review creates recurring trade policy uncertainty for beneficiary countries
  • Supersession clause may create compliance ambiguity for importers relying on prior proclamations
Proclamation 8033: To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences · Executive Orders