Proclamation 4665

EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY QUANTITATIVE LIMITATION ON THE IMPORTATION INTO THE UNITED STATES OF CERTAIN ARTICLES OF STAINLESS STEEL OR ALLOY TOOL STEEL

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

1. On June 11, 1976, by Proclamation 4445, the President proclaimed, pursuant to the Constitution and the statutes of the United States (including section 203 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2253) (the Trade Act)), the imposition of temporary quantitative limitations on the importation into the United States of certain articles of stainless steel or alloy tool steel. These limitations were effective as to those articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after June 14, 1976, and were to continue for a period of three years from that date unless earlier modified, or terminated. Proclamation 4445 was subsequently modified by Proclamation 4477 of November 16, 1976, Proclamation 4509 of June 15, 1977, and Proclamation 4559 of April 5, 1978. Import relief currently in effect under Proclamation 4445, as amended, with respect to articles provided for in items 923.20 through 923.26, inclusive, of the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS) (19 U.S.C. 1202), is scheduled to terminate at the close of June 13, 1979, unless extended by the President pursuant to section 203(h) (3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(h) (3)).

2. Pursuant to sections 203(i) (2) and (i)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i) (2) and (i) (3)), the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), on April 24, 1979, reported to the President (USITC Report 203-5) the results of its investigation under section 203(i) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i)). The USITC advised that it was evenly divided on the question of the probable economic effect on the domestic industry concerned of the termination of the import relief provided for in items 923.20 through 923.26, inclusive, of the TSUS.

3. Section 203(h) (3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(h) (3)) provides that any import relief provided pursuant to section 203 may be extended by the President, at a level of relief no greater than the level in effect immediately before such extension, if the President determines, after taking into account the advice received from the USITC under section 203(i) (2) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i) (2)) and after taking into account the considerations described in section 202(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252 (c)), that such extension is in the national interest.

4. In accordance with section 203(h) (3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253 (h) (3)), having taken into account the advice received from the USITC under section 203(i) (2) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2253(i)(2)), and the considerations described in section 202(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252(c)), I have determined that the extension of the import relief provided for in items 923.20 through 923.26, inclusive, of the TSUS is in the national interest.

Now, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, including section 203 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.G. 2253), and in accordance with Article XIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (61 Stat. (pt. 5) A58; 8 UST (pt. 2) 1786), do proclaim that-

(1) Items 608.52, 608.76, 608.78, 608.85, 608.88, 609.06, 609.07 and 609.08, in Part I of Schedule XX to the GATT are modified to conform with the Quantitative restrictions set forth in the Annex to this proclamation.

(2) Subpart A, part 2 of the Appendix to the TSUS is modified as set forth in the Annex to this proclamation.

(3) The authority to make changes in the quantitative restrictions provided for in this proclamation, as set forth in the Annex to this proclamation, is hereby delegated to the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations.

(4) This proclamation shall be effective as to those articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after June 14, 1979, and before the close of February 13, 1980, unless the period of its effectiveness is earlier expressly modified or terminated.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of June in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and third.

JIMMY CARTER

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:55 p.m., June 12, 1979]