Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 109 Part 2.djvu/842

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109 STAT. 1814 PROCLAMATION 6821—SEPT. 12, 1995 necessary or appropriate, in order to exercise the rights or fulfill the obligations of the United States. Section 421 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2135 note) authorizes the President, pursuant to the 1974 Act, to proclaim an increase in any existing duty on certain tobacco to a rate no more than 50 percent above the rate that was set forth in rate column numbered 2 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States, as in effect on January 1, 1975, or no more than 350 percent ad valorem above the rate existing on January 1, 1975, whichever is higher. (c) Section 1105(a) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 ("the 1988 Act")(19 U.S.C. 2904(a)) provides that for purposes of applying section 125 of the 1974 Act, any trade agreement entered into under section 1102 of the 1988 Act (19 U.S.C. 2902) shall be treated as an agreement entered into under section 101 or 102, as appropriate, of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2111 and 2112), and any proclamation issued pursuant to such a trade agreement shall be treated as a proclamation issued pursuant to a trade agreement entered into under section 102 of the 1974 Act. (d) The United States, acting pursuant to its rights and obligations under the Uruguay Round Agreements, in particular Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994, is modifying its obligations with respect to the tariff treatment of certain tobacco to establish a tariff-rate quota for imports of such tobacco. (e) Accordingly, I have determined that it is appropriate to proclaim the tariff modifications set forth in Annex I to this proclamation in order to exercise the rights and fulfill the obligations of the United States under the Uruguay Round Agreements. These modifications would, among other things, establish a tariff-rate quota for imports of certain tobacco. 2. (a) Section 423 of the URAA (19 U.S.C. 3621) authorizes the President to proclaim the reduction or elimination of any duty with respect to cigar binder and filler tobacco, wrapper tobacco, or oriental tobacco set forth in Schedule XX—United States of America, annexed to the Marrakesh Protocol to the GATT 1994 ("Schedule XX"). (b) I have decided to proclaim the elimination of the duties on cigar binder and filler tobacco, wrapper tobacco, and oriental tobacco, as set forth in Annex I to this proclamation. 3. (a) Section 422(c) of the URAA (7 U.S.C. 1445 note) authorizes the President to waive the application to imported tobacco of section 106(g) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1445(g)) if the President determines that the waiver is necessary or appropriate pursuant to an international agreement entered into by the United States. (b) I have determined that it is necessary or appropriate pursuant to the Uruguay Round Agreements to waive the application of section 106(g) of the Agricultural Act of 1949 to imports of cigar tobacco. This waiver shall take effect on the effective date of this proclamation. 4. Presidential Proclamation No. 6641 of December 15, 1993, which implemented the North American Free Trade Agreement ("the NAFTA") with respect to the United States, established a tariff heading in chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States ("the HTS") for certain textile and apparel goods assembled in Mexico from fabric wholly formed and cut in the United States. This tariff heading, 9802.00.90, inadvertently narrowed the scope of the agreed