To Extend Duty-Free Treatment for Certain Agricultural Products of Israel

This proclamation extends duty-free treatment for specified quantities of certain Israeli agricultural products through December 31, 2002, implementing an agreement between the U.S. and Israel that extended the 1996 agricultural trade agreement. It modifies the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to update quota quantities for calendar year 2002 and supersedes inconsistent prior proclamations.

Federal Register Open PDF 67 FR 30537

Impact dates

Dec 31, 2002
Provisions expire; duty-free treatment ends unless extended
Jan 1, 2002
Modifications effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption

Key directives

Modify subchapter VIII of chapter 99 of the HTS per the Annex
Extend duty-free treatment through December 31, 2002
Apply modifications retroactively to goods entered on or after January 1, 2002
Supersede inconsistent prior proclamations and Executive Orders

Timeline

Immediate

Proclamation signed May 3, 2002
Supersedes inconsistent prior proclamations and Executive Orders

Near term (90d)

Duty-free modifications effective for goods entered on or after January 1, 2002 (retroactive application)

Long term

Provisions expire December 31, 2002 unless further extended by successor agreement

Risks & tensions

Temporary one-year extension suggests unresolved negotiations for successor agreement
Retroactive effective date to January 1, 2002 creates administrative complexity for customs entries already processed
Quantitative limits (383,000 to 1,279,000 units across product categories) may create competitive pressure among importers