Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub- tions prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Docu- ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished There are no restrictions on the republication of material ap- Memorandum for the United States Trade particular eligible articles are enumerated Representative Subject: Actions Concerning The Generalized System of Preferences Pursuant to sections 502(b)(8) and 504 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the Act) (19 U.S.C. 2462(b)(8) and 2464), I am hereby acting to modify the application of duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) currently being afforded to certain beneficiary developing countries, and to make findings concerning steps by certain beneficiary developing countries to afford internationally recognized worker rights to workers in such countries. Specifically, I have determined, under the provisions of section 504(c)(2) of the Act and after taking into account the factors listed in sections 501 and 502(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2461 and 2462(c)), that certain beneficiary developing countries have demonstrated a sufficient degree of competitiveness (relative to other beneficiary developing countries) with respect to particular eligible articles that section 504(c)(2)(B) should apply to such articles. Such countries are enumerated in Annex A opposite the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS) items applicable to each article. Second, under the terms of section 504(c)(3) of the Act, I am hereby waiving the application of section 504(c) with respect to particular eligible articles from specified beneficiary developing countries. I have received the advice of the United States International Trade Commission as to any industries in the United States which would likely be adversely affected by such waivers, and I have determined, based on in Annex B opposite the TSUS items applicable to each article. Finally, after considering various private sector requests for review concerning worker rights in certain beneficiary developing countries, and in accordance with section 502(b)(8) of the Act, I have determined that the following beneficiary developing countries have taken or are taking steps to afford internationally recognized worker rights (as defined in section 502(a)(4) of the Act): Guatemala, Haiti, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Suriname, Taiwan, and Zaire. However, I have determined that Romania, Paraguay, and Nicaragua, previously designated as beneficiary developing countries, are not taking steps to afford such internationally recognized worker rights. Therefore, I intend to notify the Congress of the United States of my intention to remove Romania and Nicara gua from the list of designated beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the GSP, and to suspend the GSP eligibility of Paraguay. Finally, I am continuing to review the status of such worker rights in another beneficiary developing country, Chile. These determinations shall be published in the Federal Register. Ronald Reagan [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 3:27 p.m., January 2, 1987] Note: The memorandum and annexes are printed in the Federal Register of January 6. thing, and it's not just a surplus or a deficit. No, it's also a plan, a hope, a vision of what America is and of where America is going. Six years ago we began our country on the path to greater growth and opportunity. We said it was time to put the days of tax and spend in the past and trust less in government and more in America's families, communities, and values. Some called the values we talked about radical and even revolutionary. Well, you know, I had to smile when they called it the Reagan revolution. Because, yes, those values may have been revolutionary, but they were from a revolution much older than me-the revolution that started with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the revolution continued by every American who ever plowed the land or worked in a factory, an office, or a store, or built a business or stayed home and built a family. Those have been the values that shaped this budget as well. What are they? Well, one is that government shouldn't tax away a man or woman's incentives to work, save, and invest, and that taxes should begin only after a family has earned enough to live on. That's why this is a "no-tax-increase' budget. Last year America pushed aside the special interests and passed a tax reform bill that was prosavings, proinvestment, profam ily. By next year, as a result of tax reform, the top tax rate will be 28 percent; the standard deduction and personal exemptions for your family will have gone up by 60 percent; and most families will pay a rate of no more than 15 percent. But now some in Congress are saying they'd like to take part of this away, even before it goes into effect. They'd rather raise your taxes than cut their spending. Well, not if I have anything to say about it. This budget cuts spending and leaves your family's paycheck alone, and that's another important value. Like your family, the Federal Government should live within its means. This year we're taking an historic step toward that goal, because the Federal Government is doing less real spending than last year, something that hasn't happened since 1973. That's right-not in almost 14 years. And with the coming year's budget, we plan to make it 2 years in a row. |