For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 7, 2004

Statement on Designating Iraq under the Generalized System of Preferences (GPS) Program

President Bush today signed a proclamation designating Iraq as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. As a GSP beneficiary country, Iraq will be able to take advantage of duty-free tariff treatment into the United States on approximately 3,500 products.

This GSP designation marks an important step in Iraq's return to the world trading system. Increased opportunities for trade will help Iraq build an economy that can offer its citizens a more prosperous future.

GSP is a program that grants duty-free treatment to specified products that are imported from more than 140 designated developing countries and territories. GSP was reauthorized when President Bush signed the Trade Act of 2002 on August 6, 2002. This program underscores the Administration's commitment to providing trade opportunities to developing countries as a way to encourage broad-based economic development.

# # #