Trade, tariffs and industry

Executive Order 12973: Amendment to Executive Order No. 12901

President: Bill Clinton

Extended the “Super 301” trade-barrier identification and reporting process for two additional annual cycles in 1996 and 1997.

Status: Completed/expired.

Is Executive Order 12973 still in effect? No. Time-limited 1996–1997 identification cycle completed.

What does Executive Order 12973 do?

EO 12973 amended EO 12901 by substituting 1996 and 1997 for its earlier annual deadlines. That required the US Trade Representative to continue identifying priority foreign-country practices, reporting to the relevant congressional committees and initiating the response process available under trade law. The 1997 review identified Korean barriers affecting motor vehicles. The amended timetable was finite and has been completed.

Administration position: The order renewed an identification and enforcement process. A priority designation did not itself prove a violation or automatically impose a tariff.
SignedSeptember 27, 1995
Parent orderEO 12901
Added cycles1996 and 1997

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12901’s original 1994 and 1995 reporting cycles were ending.

After the order

USTR conducted two further annual priority-practice reviews and could use statutory trade-enforcement procedures.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
US Trade RepresentativeIdentify priority practices and countries1996 and 1997 cycles
US Trade RepresentativeReport findings to congressional committeesBy the amended deadlines
Trade agenciesUse applicable statutory response proceduresFor designated practices

What happened next

EO 12901 established the renewed process.

EO 12973 extended it to 1996 and 1997.

USTR completed the final added annual review.