CNLW - HTSUS 6802.21.10 & 7615.10.30 - Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (India)

No. EPCH/2/2013-GSP 11th April, 2013 Mr. William D. Jackson, Deputy Assistant, U.S. Trade Representative for the GSP and GSP Sub-Committee of Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of United States Trade Representative, Washington, DC-20508 United States of America William jackson@ustr.eop.gov Subject: Petition for inclusion of handicrafts items into Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme of USA Dear Sir, This has reference to the GSP scheme of USA wherein preferential duty free to 5000 products from 127 designated beneficiary countries and territories. India has also been one of the beneficiary developing countries to have been accorded benefit under the GSP scheme. As you may be aware, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) is an apex organization of trade and industry engaged in the promotion of Indian Handicrafts and project India’s image abroad as a reliable supplier of high quality handicrafts items. The Council has done a brief trade analysis of the handicrafts items and has short-listed the items attached at Annexure “A”. Also it has been observed that USA has signed “Certified Textile Handicrafts Agreement” with 15 beneficiary countries namely Afghanistan, Argentina, Botswana, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey and Uruguay, India does not figure the list of countries. It is proposed that we may enter into the a similar arrangement with USA so that the handicrafts items, which are currently not figuring in USA’s GSP list for India, can also be included and zero duty entry into USA may be sought. The above is placed for kind information & consideration please. Yours Faithfully, (RAKESH KUMAR) Executive Director P.S-Additional Information in Attached file.