Trade, tariffs and industry

Executive Order 13079: Waiver Under The Trade Act Of 1974 With Respect to Vietnam

President: Bill Clinton

Waived Trade Act sections restricting normal trade treatment for Vietnam after the required presidential report to Congress.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13079 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13079 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13079 do?

EO 13079 used Trade Act §402(c)(2) to waive Jackson–Vanik restrictions for Vietnam in 1998. The waiver helped open a path to annual normal trade relations, followed by the bilateral trade agreement effective in 2001. Congress authorized permanent normal trade relations in 2006 as Vietnam prepared to join the WTO, making the original one-year waiver a historical step rather than current trade authority.

Administration position: The order waived specified Trade Act restrictions; it did not by itself create the later bilateral agreement or permanent normal trade relations.
SignedApril 7, 1998
AuthorityTrade Act §402(c)(2)
CountryVietnam

Before and after

Before the order

Jackson–Vanik restricted nondiscriminatory tariff treatment unless statutory conditions or a waiver applied.

After the order

Vietnam became eligible for annually renewed treatment, followed by a bilateral agreement and permanent status.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentReport to Congress and grant the waiverCompleted
Trade agenciesApply treatment authorized by governing lawHistorical
CongressLater approve bilateral and permanent trade treatmentCompleted separately

What happened next

EO 13079 granted the first waiver.

The bilateral trade agreement took effect.

The President proclaimed permanent normal trade relations after congressional authorization.

Vietnam joined the WTO.