On November 13th, Burma became eligible to export under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) as a least developed country, per President Obama’s decision in September as part of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Washington, D.C. As a least developed GSP beneficiary country, Burma is now eligible to export a large number of additional products to the U.S. duty-free.
Burma’s total exports to the United States continue to increase exponentially since trade reopened in 2012. Total first quarter imports in 2016 were almost double those of the same period in 2015, and third quarter imports in 2016 were three times the level of first quarter shipments in 2015. Burma continues to be a growing market for US exports, with exports up 17% for the first three quarters of 2016 over 2015, which was double the level of U.S. exports for all of 2014.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) continues to work closely with the government of Burma to ensure that all communities within Burma continue to develop and benefit from our restored relationship and from the employment and income opportunities GSP will open up for them, including through outreach visits from American officials.
