Proclamation 7210

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

1. Article XI of the June 1, 1990, Agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Trade Relations ("the 1990 Agreement"), which was entered into pursuant to title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended ("the Trade Act"), provides that the Parties will consult with a view toward finding means of preventing market disruption, and authorizes the Parties to take action, including the imposition of import restrictions, to achieve this goal.

2. The Government of the United States and the Government of the Russian Federation ("Russia") have mutually agreed that the conditions of Article XI of the 1990 Agreement have been met with respect to U.S. imports of certain steel products from Russia described in the Annex to this proclamation. Further, the Governments have concluded an Agreement Concerning Trade in Certain Steel Products from the Russian Federation ("the 1999 Agreement") on remedial and preventative measures to address market conditions with respect to such products.

3. Section 125(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(c)) provides that whenever the United States, acting in pursuance of any of its rights or obligations under any trade agreement entered into pursuant to the Trade Act, withdraws, suspends, or modifies any obligation with respect to the trade of any foreign country or instrumentality, the President is authorized to proclaim increased duties or other import restrictions, to the extent, at such times, and for such periods as he deems necessary or appropriate, in order to exercise the rights or fulfill the obligations of the United States.

4. In pursuance of its rights under the 1990 Agreement, the United States Government is withdrawing, suspending, or modifying its obligations under Article I of the 1990 Agreement with respect to the certain steel products described in the Annex to this proclamation by establishing import restrictions to address market conditions with respect to these products.

5. I have determined that, effective immediately and continuing so long as the 1999 Agreement remains in effect, it is appropriate to proclaim import restrictions as set forth in the Annex to this proclamation in order to exercise the rights and fulfill the obligations of the United States under the 1990 Agreement.

6. Section 125(f) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(f)) requires the President to provide an opportunity for interested parties to present views at a public hearing prior to taking action pursuant to section 125 (b), (c), or (d) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135 (b), (c), or (d)). Interested parties presented their views at a hearing held on March 2, 1999.

7. Section 301 of title 3, United States Code, authorizes the President to delegate his authority to the head of any department or agency in the executive branch to perform without approval, ratification, or other action by the President any function that is vested in the President by law.

Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America, acting under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to section 125(c) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2135(c)) and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, do proclaim that:

(1) Pursuant to U.S. rights under the 1990 Agreement and to implement and enforce the 1999 Agreement, imports of certain steel products from Russia are restricted as provided in the Annex to this proclamation.

(2) The Secretary of Commerce ("the Secretary") is authorized to exercise my authority to administer the import restrictions on certain steel products consistent with the 1999 Agreement as proclaimed herein. The Secretary shall provide instructions and any necessary interpretive guidance to the Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, concerning the import restrictions set forth in this proclamation.

(3) Such restrictions shall be effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the date set forth in the Annex and shall remain in effect during the period of the 1999 Agreement.

(4) All provisions of previous proclamations and Executive orders that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.

William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 12:20 p.m., July 26, 1999]