Bulgaria and Romania Lose GSP Duty-Free Benefits Effective January 1, 2007
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing that Bulgaria and Romania are no longer designated as beneficiary developing countries under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program effective as of January 1, 2007.
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According to 19 USC 2462(b), European Union (EU) member states may not be designated as GSP beneficiaries and Bulgaria and Romania became EU member states on January 1, 2007.
On December 29, 2006, President Bush issued Proclamation 8098 in which, among other things, the President determined that Bulgaria and Romania would no longer be GSP beneficiary countries upon the date that each becomes an EU member country.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/08/07 news, 07010810, for BP summary of Proclamation 8098.)
(See ITT's Online Archives or 01/19/07 news, 07011940, for BP summary of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) administrative message announcing this GSP change.)
USTR contact - GSP Subcommittee (202) 395-6971
USTR notice (FR Pub 01/22/07) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-809.pdf.