Proclamation Amends List of GSP Countries, Extends Israel Ag TRQs, Etc.
President Obama has issued Proclamation 8467 in order to amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule's list of Generalized System of Preferences countries for 2010, extend the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Area tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for certain agricultural products of Israel another year, implement rule of origin and other technical corrections for four free trade agreements, etc.
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The Proclamation also announces certain future amendments to the list of GSP countries for 2011. The changes in the Proclamation include the following:
Maldives Regains GSP Designation on Dec 23, 2009
The country of Maldives is no longer suspended from the GSP program and is redesignated as a GSP beneficiary country effective December 23, 2009, the date the President signed the Proclamation.
Trinidad and Tobago Removed from GSP on Jan 1, 2010
The country of Trinidad and Tobago were determined to be "high income" countries in Proclamation 8272, and is being removed from GSP effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 1, 2010.
Cape Verde No Longer a Least-Developed GSP Country on Jan 1, 2010
The country of Cape Verde retains its GSP status but is being removed from the list of GSP least-developed beneficiary countries effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 1, 2010.
Croatia and Equatorial Guinea to be Removed from GSP on Jan 1, 2011
The countries of Croatia and Equatorial Guinea have been determined to be "high income" countries. As a result, they are scheduled to be removed from GSP effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 1, 2011.
Duty-Free Israel Agriculture TRQs Continued Through 2010
The duty-free TRQs for the following agricultural products from Israel that are entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010 continue without change as follows:
| U.S. Note | Description | 2010 Limit |
| U.S. Note 3 | Butter, and fresh or sour cream containing over 45% by weight of butterfat, entered under HTS 9908.04.01 | 466,000 kg |
| U.S. Note 4 | Dried milk, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, entered under HTS 9908.04.03 | 1,304,000 kg |
| U.S. Note 5 | Cheese and substitutes for cheese, entered under HTS 9908.04.05 | 1,534,000 kg |
| U.S. Note 6 | Peanuts, entered under HTS 9908.12.01 | 131,000 kg |
| U.S. Note 7 | Ice cream, entered under HTS 9908.21.01 | 707,000 kg |
(Similar one-year extensions have occurred in prior years and are to allow additional time for the U.S. and Israel to negotiate a new agreement.)
Rules of Origin Amended for NAFTA, SFTA and CFTA
Technical corrections and rectifications to certain "change of tariff classification" and other rules of origin for the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and the Chile Free Trade Agreement have been implemented by this Proclamation.
These corrections and rectifications are effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after the dates listed below for the affected HTS Chapters in these FTAs (see Proclamation for details of the Chapter changes for each):
| NAFTA | Chapters 7, 8, 9, 13, 20, and 29 (October 2, 2009) |
| SFTA | Chapter 62 (February 7, 2008) |
| CFTA | Chapter 85 (January 1, 2004) |
General Note Amended for Nylon Yarns Used in DR-CAFTA Non-Originating Textiles and Apparel
HTS General Note 29 (d)(i)(B) for the Dominican Republic - Central America Free Trade Agreement is amended to update the tariff numbers for nylon filament yarn used in the production of textiles and apparel under this note. Such textiles and apparel do not undergo an applicable rule of origin change but are considered originating goods.
This amendment is effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after February 3, 2007.
Proclamation 8467 (FR Pub 12/30/09) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-31096.pdf