USTR Considers Whether Azerbaijan Should be a GSP Country
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing the re-initiation of a review to consider designating the Republic of Azerbaijan as a Generalized System of Preferences beneficiary developing country.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
The GSP Subcommittee has reinitiated the review in order to make a recommendation to the President as to whether Azerbaijan meets the eligibility criteria of the GSP statute. After considering the recommendation, the President is authorized to designate Azerbaijan as a GSP beneficiary developing country.
(The USTR previously initiated a review of Azerbaijan in November 2004. See ITT's Online Archives or 11/09/04 news, 04110925, for BP summary.)
Comments are due by April 30, 2008
President Must Consider Certain Criteria in Determining GSP Designation
The USTR states that in determining whether to designate any country as a GSP beneficiary developing country, the President shall take into account certain criteria (listed in the USTR's notice), including (partial list):
the level of economic development of such country, including its per capita gross national product, the living standards of its inhabitants, and any other economic factors which the President deems appropriate;
the extent to which such country has assured the U.S. that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to the markets and basic commodity resources of such country and the extent to which such country has assured the U.S. that it will refrain from engaging in unreasonable export practices;
whether or not such country has taken or is taking steps to afford to workers in that country (including any designated zone in that country) internationally recognized worker rights.
- comments are due by 04/30/08
USTR contact - GSP Subcommittee (202) 395-6971
USTR notice (FR Pub 04/11/08) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-7702.pdf.