Obama Issues Proclamation for Nepal Duty Preference Program

President Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation (here) making certain imported products from Nepal eligible to receive preferential duty treatment through a program authorized by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (TFTEA), and adding the Central African Republic as an African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, among other things. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule will need to be modified to implement duty-free treatment for the Nepal Preference Program in accordance with TFTEA, the proclamation said. The proclamation will also extend until Dec. 31, 2017, the U.S. provision of duty-free access for certain agricultural goods from Israel under the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement. Changes related to implementing the Nepal duty preference program will take effect Dec. 30 and continue through Dec. 31, 2025, according to the proclamation. The U.S.-Israel FTA-related modifications will take effect Jan. 1. It is unclear when the Central African Republic’s AGOA beneficiary designation will enter into force.