Executive Order 8307—Amending the Foreign Service Regulations of the United States

By virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 1752 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (U.S.C., title 22, sec. 132), it is ordered that the Foreign Service Regulations of the United States be, and they are hereby, amended by prescribing the following as Chapter XIV thereof:

CHAPTER XIV

PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF AMERICAN ECONOMIC INTERESTS

XIV-1. Protection of American interests. Officers of the Foreign Service shall protect the rights and interests of the United States in its international agricultural, commercial, and financial relations. In pursuance of this duty, they shall:

(a) Guard against the infringement of rights of American citizens in matters relating to commerce and navigation which are based on custom, international law, or treaty.

(b) Observe, report on, and, whenever possible, endeavor to remove discriminations against American agricultural, commercial, and industrial interests in other countries.

(c) Protect the national commercial reputation of the United States.

XIV-2. Promotion of American interests. Officers of the Foreign Service shall further the agricultural and commercial interests of the United States:

(a) By carefully studying and reporting on the potentialities of their districts as a market for American products or as a competitor of American products in international trade.

(b) By investigating and submitting World Trade Directory Reports on the general standing and distributing capacity of foreign firms within their districts.

(c) By preparing and submitting upon request trade lists of commercial firms within their districts.

(d) By keeping constantly on the alert for and submitting immediate reports on concrete trade opportunities.

(e) By endeavoring to create, within the scope of the duties to which they are assigned, a demand for American products within their districts.

(f) By facilitating and reporting on proposed visits of alien business men to the United States.

(g) By taking appropriate steps to facilitate the promotion of such import trade into the United States as the economic interests of the United States may require.

XIV-3. Services for American citizens and business organizations in connection with the conduct of foreign trade. Officers of the Foreign Service shall perform the following-enumerated services for American citizens and business organizations in connection with the conduct of foreign trade, subject to such rules and limitations thereon as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State:

(a) Answering trade inquiries.

(b) Lending direct assistance to American citizens and business firms.

(c) Encouraging the establishment of, and supporting, American chambers of commerce.

(d) Preparing themselves for and, upon instructions, performing trade conference work when in the United States on leave, or otherwise.

XIV-4. Submission of reports on economic developments within district. Officers of the Foreign Service shall prepare and submit reports in connection with their duties of protecting and promoting American agricultural and commercial interests and for the purpose of providing general information on economic developments within their respective districts for the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce, and for other governmental departments and agencies, in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Secretary of State may prescribe.

CANCELATION OF REGULATIONS

The following provisions of the Foreign Service Regulations of the United States are hereby canceled:

PART I

Sections VIII-13, XI-7, XVI-7, XVI-14, and XVI-17.

PART II

Sections XI-187A, XXVIII-589 to XXVIII-594, inclusive, XXVIII-597 to XXVIII- 603E, inclusive, XXVIII-603G, XXVIII-603H, XXVIII-603J to XXVIII-603M, inclusive.

REVOCATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDER

Executive Order No. 3987, dated April 4, 1924, is hereby revoked.

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

The White House,
December 19, 1939.