Generalized System of Preferences for Developing Countries Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate on the Designation of Five New Beneficiary Developing Countries.

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

In accordance with section 502(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, I herewith notify the House of Representatives (Senate) of my intention to issue an Executive Order designating Ecuador, Indonesia, Uganda, Venezuela, and Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) as beneficiary developing countries for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences.

The considerations which entered into my decisions with respect to these countries were the following:

(1) The requests of the countries that they be designated as beneficiaries.

(2) The level of economic development of the countries, including their per capita gross national product, the general living standards of their populations, the levels of health, nutrition, education, and housing of their populations, and the degree of industrialization of the countries.

(3) The fact that other major developed countries are extending generalized preferential tariff treatment to such countries.

(4) The fact that these countries provide the United States with equitable and reasonable access to their markets and my expectation that these policies will continue.

(5) The legislative history of the Trade Act, including the reports on that Act of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

(6) The legislative history of the amendments to that Act contained in the Trade Agreements Act of 1979.

Additional considerations entered into my decisions with respect to Ecuador, Indonesia, and Venezuela which are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). I have determined that these countries are not ineligible for preference under section 502(b) (2) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, because, as required by section 502(e) (2), these countries have entered into bilateral product specific trade agreements with the United States under section 101 of the Trade Act of 1974 before January 3, 1980.

Sincerely,

JIMMY CARTER