The White House
President George W. Bush
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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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