For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 22, 2001
Statement by the Press Secretary
U.S.-Poland
Comprehensive Trade Package
During President Bush's visit to Warsaw, the United States and Poland
signed a Comprehensive Trade Package. This agreement is
designed to lower tariffs on key U.S. exports to Poland by January
2002, establishes a process for addressing further the problem of
tariff differentials (whereby United States companies faced higher
tariffs than their European Union counterparts) with respect to both
agricultural and industrial products and other bilateral trade issues,
and creates a bilateral working group where these issues can be
addressed.
In light of Poland's commitments under the Comprehensive Trade Package,
the United States intends to continue its support for Poland's
participation in the U.S. trade preference program, known as the U.S.
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
The industrial products for which tariff reductions have been
negotiated include: certain chemicals and chemical products, beauty
products, personal deodorants and antiperspirants, gas turbines,
centrifuge filters, machines for the preparation of food or drink,
fiber optic cables, tractors, large engine autos and auto parts, and
certain medical supplies and measuring instruments. With
respect to agricultural products, Poland has agreed to begin the
process of lowering tariffs by January 2002 on grapefruit,
non-sparkling wine, and almonds.
In a critical step toward reopening the Polish market to U.S. soybeans
and grains, Poland has also agreed to an independent peer review of its
phytosanitary measure on ragweed, a step which the United States warmly
welcomes.
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