Declares that it is the policy of the United States to remain fully committed to a multifaceted engagement with the Ukraine, including by: (1) urging the Ukraine to continue its policy of providing for the free emigration of its citizens and recognizing human rights; and (2) ensuring that Ukraine's terms of accession to the World Trade Organization provide meaningful market access opportunities for U.S. businesses, farmers, and workers.
[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4723 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4723
To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade
relations treatment) to the products of Ukraine, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 14, 2002
Mr. Levin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on
International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade
relations treatment) to the products of Ukraine, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) Ukraine allows its citizens the right and opportunity
to emigrate, free of any heavy tax on emigration or on the
visas or other documents required for emigration and free of
any tax, levy, fine, fee, or other charge on any citizens as a
consequence of the desire of such citizens to emigrate to the
country of their choice;
(2) Ukraine has been found to be in full compliance with
the freedom of emigration requirements under title IV of the
Trade Act of 1974 since 1997;
(3) since reestablishing independence in 1991, Ukraine has
taken important steps toward the creation of democratic
institutions and a free-market economy and, as a member state
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE), is committed to developing a system of governance in
accordance with the principles regarding human rights and
humanitarian affairs that are set forth in the Final Act of the
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as
the ``Helsinki Final Act'');
(4) Ukraine has shown progress towards meeting
international commitments and standards in its most recent
Parliamentary elections, recognizing that significant problems
remain, including shortcomings in the implementation of
Ukraine's election laws, illegal interference by public
authorities in the electoral process, and intimidation against
opposition contestants, activists, and voters.
(5) Ukraine is committed to addressing issues relating to
its national and religious minorities as a member state of the
OSCE and to adopting measures to ensure that persons belonging
to national minorities have full equality both individually and
communally;
(6) Ukraine has enacted legislation providing protection
against incitement to violence against persons or groups based
on national, racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination,
hostility, or hatred, including anti-Semitism, and has
committed itself, including through a letter to the President
of the United States, to ensuring freedom of religion and
preventing racial and ethnic intolerance and hatred;
(7) Ukraine has engaged in efforts to combat ethnic and
religious intolerance by cooperating with various United States
nongovernmental organizations;
(8) Ukraine is continuing the restitution of religious
properties, including religious and communal properties
confiscated from national and religious minorities during the
Soviet era, is facilitating the revival of those minority
groups, and is in the process of developing a legislative
framework for completing this process, as was confirmed in a
letter to the President of the United States;
(9) Ukraine has received normal trade relations treatment
since concluding a bilateral trade agreement with the United
States that entered into force on June 23, 1992;
(10) Ukraine is making progress toward accession to the
World Trade Organization, recognizing that many central issues
remain to be resolved, including commitments relating to
protection of intellectual property rights, tariff and excise
tax reductions for goods (including automobiles), trade in
services, agricultural subsidy levels, elimination of export
incentives for industrial goods, reform of customs procedures
and technical, sanitary, and phytosanitary measures, and
inclusion of trade remedy provisions;
(11) Ukraine has enacted some protections reflecting
internationally recognized labor rights, but serious gaps
remain both in the country's legal regime and its enforcement
record, with areas of particular concern including restrictions
on independent unions, interference in collective bargaining of
independent unions, and unsafe conditions at work;
(12) Ukraine has established exemplary relations with all
neighboring countries, and pursues a course of European
integration with a commitment to ensuring democracy and
prosperity for its citizens; and
(13) Ukraine has participated with the United States in its
peacekeeping operations in Europe and has provided important
cooperation in the global struggle against international
terrorism.
SEC. 2. TERMINATION OF APPLICATION OF TITLE IV OF THE TRADE ACT OF 1974
TO UKRAINE.
(a) Presidential Determinations and Extensions of Nondiscriminatory
Treatment.--Notwithstanding any provision of title IV of the Trade Act
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.), the President may--
(1) determine that such title should no longer apply to
Ukraine; and
(2) after making a determination under paragraph (1) with
respect to Ukraine, proclaim the extension of nondiscriminatory
treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of
that country.
(b) Termination of Application of Title IV.--On and after the
effective date of the extension under subsection (a)(2) of
nondiscriminatory treatment to the products of Ukraine--
(1) title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, except for section
406, shall cease to apply to that country; and
(2) section 406 of the Trade Act of 1974 shall apply to
Ukraine to the same extent as such section applies to a
Communist country.
SEC. 3. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES.
It is the policy of the United States that the United States remain
fully committed to a multifaceted engagement with Ukraine, including
by--
(1) urging Ukraine to continue its current policy--
(A) of providing for the free emigration of its
citizens;
(B) of safeguarding religious liberty throughout
Ukraine;
(C) of enforcing existing Ukrainian laws at the
national and local levels to combat ethnic, religious,
and racial discrimination and violence; and
(D) of expanding the restitution of religious and
communal properties, including establishing a legal
framework for the completion of such restitution in the
future;
(2) working with Ukraine, including through the Secretary
of Labor and other appropriate executive branch officials, to
address the areas described in section 1(11) and ensuring that
progress is made in such areas as part of Ukraine's eligibility
for the Generalized System of Preferences under title V of the
Trade Act of 1974, as required by title V of that Act;
(3) ensuring that Ukraine's terms of accession to the World
Trade Organization provide meaningful market access
opportunities for United States businesses, farmers, and
workers, and promote adoption of market principles and policies
by Ukraine;
(4) ensuring that Ukraine makes substantial and meaningful
progress in enacting and enforcing the protection of
intellectual property before Ukraine joins the World Trade
Organization, and considering such progress as part of
Ukraine's eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences
under title V of the Trade Act of 1974, as required by title V
of that Act; and
(5) continuing rigorous monitoring by the United States of
human rights issues in Ukraine, including the issues described
in paragraphs (1) and (2), providing assistance to
nongovernmental organizations and human rights groups involved
in human rights activities in Ukraine, and attempting to
establish annual discussions with Ukraine regarding those
issues, including the participation of United States and
Ukrainian nongovernmental organizations in such discussions.
SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
The reports required by sections 102(b) and 203 of the
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b) and
6433) shall include an assessment of the status of the issues described
in section 3(1).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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