The White House said President Bush has approved duty-free treatment for imports of certain types of watches that aren't produced in `` significant quantities '' in the U.S., the Virgin Islands and other U.S. possessions. The action came in response to a petition filed by Timex Inc. for changes in the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences for imports from developing nations. Previously, watch imports were denied such duty-free treatment. Timex had requested duty-free treatment for many types of watches, covered by 58 different U.S. tariff classifications. The White House said Mr. Bush decided to grant duty-free status for 18 categories, but turned down such treatment for other types of watches `` because of the potential for material injury to watch producers located in the U.S. and the Virgin Islands. '' Timex is a major U.S. producer and seller of watches, including low-priced battery-operated watches assembled in the Philippines and other developing nations covered by the U.S. tariff preferences. U.S. trade officials said the Philippines and Thailand would be the main beneficiaries of the president's action. Imports of the types of watches that now will be eligible for duty-free treatment totaled about $37.3 million in 1988, a relatively small share of the $1.5 billion in U.S. watch imports that year, according to an aide to U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills. TEXT The White House said President Bush has approved duty-free treatment for imports of certain types of watches that are n't produced in `` significant quantities '' in the U.S. , the Virgin Islands and other U.S. possessions . The action came in response to a petition filed by Timex Inc. for changes in the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences for imports from developing nations . Previously , watch imports were denied such duty-free treatment . Timex had requested duty-free treatment for many types of watches , covered by 58 different U.S. tariff classifications . The White House said Mr. Bush decided to grant duty-free status for 18 categories , but turned down such treatment for other types of watches `` because of the potential for material injury to watch producers located in the U.S. and the Virgin Islands . '' Timex is a major U.S. producer and seller of watches , including low-priced battery-operated watches assembled in the Philippines and other developing nations covered by the U.S. tariff preferences . U.S. trade officials said the Philippines and Thailand would be the main beneficiaries of the president 's action . Imports of the types of watches that now will be eligible for duty-free treatment totaled about $ 37.3 million in 1988 , a relatively small share of the $ 1.5 billion in U.S. watch imports that year , according to an aide to U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills . 2~4~6 10~12 16~18~20 18~20 24~26~28~30~32~34 28~30~32~34 34 36 48~50 56~58 56~58~60~62~64~66~68~70~72~74 62~64~66 70~72~74 72 79~81 91~93 99~101 105 109~111~113~115~117~119 111 123 127~129 138~140 148~150 155 161~163 167~169~171~173 173 181~183~185~187~189 185 194~196~198 202~204 210~212~214 212~214 218~220 230~232 236~238~240~242 242 250~252 256~258 262~264 270~272 270~272~274~276~278~280 276~278~280 287 291~293~295~297~299~301~303~305 295 305 311~313~315 321~323 321~323~325~327~329~331 327~329~331 337~339~341~343 339 348 348~350~352 356~358 356~358~360~362 362 368~370~372 376~378~380~382 378 387~389~391~393~395~397 391~393~395~397 397 399 411~413 419~421~423 427 431~433~435~437 443~445~447 451 451~453~455 457~459 467~469 473 473~475~477~479~481 The White House|860,890 President Bush|861,891,921 The action|862,874,892,920 duty-free treatment|863,883,885,893,895,926 imports of certain types of watches|864,922 certain types of watches|865,867,923,925 watches|866,887,897,907,924 significant quantities|868 the U.S., the Virgin Islands and other U.S. possessions|870 the U.S.|869,873,879,889,901,906,913,914,931,935 the Virgin Islands|871,903 other U.S. possessions|872 a petition|875 Timex Inc.|876,884,904,905 changes|877 the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences|878,912 imports|880 developing nations|881,911 watch imports|882,932 many types of watches|886 U.S. tariff classifications|888 18 categories|894 other types of watches|896 the potential|898 material injury|899 watch producers|900 the U.S. and the Virgin Islands|902 low-priced battery-operated watches|908 the Philippines and other developing nations|910 the Philippines|909,916 U.S. trade officials|915 the Philippines and Thailand|917,919 Thailand|918 $37.3 million|927,929 1988|928,933 $1.5 billion|930 an aide|934 Carla Hills|936 860|MOD:DIST:2|NUC:DIST:4~6 861|MOD:DIST:10|NUC:DIST:12 862|NUC:DIST:16|MOD:DIST:18~20 863|MOD:DIST:18|NUC:DIST:20 864|NUC:DIST:24|MOD:DIST:26~28~30~32~34 865|MOD:DIST:28|NUC:DIST:30|MOD:DIST:32~34 866|NUC:DIST:34 867|NUC:DIST:36 868|MOD:DIST:48|NUC:DIST:50 869|MOD:DIST:56|NUC:DIST:58 870|NUC:DIST:56~58~60~62~64~66~68~70~72~74 871|MOD:DIST:62|NUC:DIST:64~66 872|MOD:DIST:70|MOD:DIST:72|NUC:DIST:74 873|NUC:DIST:72 874|MOD:DIST:79|NUC:DIST:81 875|MOD:DIST:91|NUC:DIST:93 876|NUC:DIST:99~101 877|NUC:DIST:105 878|MOD:DIST:109|MOD:DIST:111|NUC:DIST:113~115~117~119 879|NUC:DIST:111 880|NUC:DIST:123 881|MOD:DIST:127|NUC:DIST:129 882|MOD:DIST:138|NUC:DIST:140 883|MOD:DIST:148|NUC:DIST:150 884|NUC:DIST:155 885|MOD:DIST:161|NUC:DIST:163 886|MOD:DIST:167|NUC:DIST:169|MOD:DIST:171~173 887|NUC:DIST:173 888|MOD:DIST:181|MOD:DESC:183|MOD:DIST:185|MOD:DIST:187|NUC:DIST:189 889|NUC:DIST:185 890|MOD:DIST:194|NUC:DIST:196~198 891|MOD:DIST:202|NUC:DIST:204 892|NUC:DIST:210|MOD:DIST:212~214 893|MOD:DIST:212|NUC:DIST:214 894|MOD:DIST:218|NUC:DIST:220 895|MOD:DIST:230|NUC:DIST:232 896|MOD:DIST:236|NUC:DIST:238|MOD:DIST:240~242 897|NUC:DIST:242 898|MOD:DIST:250|NUC:DIST:252 899|MOD:DIST:256|NUC:DIST:258 900|MOD:DIST:262|NUC:DIST:264 901|MOD:DIST:270|NUC:DIST:272 902|NUC:DIST:270~272~274~276~278~280 903|MOD:DIST:276|NUC:DIST:278~280 904|NUC:DIST:287 905|MOD:DIST:291|MOD:DESC:293|MOD:DESC:295|NUC:DESC:297~299~301|MOD:DESC:303~305 906|NUC:DIST:295 907|NUC:DIST:305 908|MOD:DIST:311|MOD:DIST:313|NUC:DIST:315 909|MOD:DIST:321|NUC:DIST:323 910|NUC:DIST:321~323~325~327~329~331 911|MOD:DIST:327|MOD:DIST:329|NUC:DIST:331 912|MOD:DIST:337|MOD:DIST:339|MOD:DIST:341|NUC:DIST:343 913|NUC:DIST:339 914|NUC:DIST:348 915|MOD:DIST:348|MOD:DIST:350|NUC:DIST:352 916|MOD:DIST:356|NUC:DIST:358 917|NUC:DIST:356~358~360~362 918|NUC:DIST:362 919|MOD:DIST:368|MOD:DIST:370|NUC:DIST:372 920|MOD:DIST:376|MOD:DIST:378~380|NUC:DIST:382 921|NUC:DIST:378 922|NUC:DIST:387|MOD:DIST:389~391~393~395~397 923|MOD:DIST:391|NUC:DIST:393|MOD:DIST:395~397 924|NUC:DIST:397 925|NUC:DIST:399 926|MOD:DIST:411|NUC:DIST:413 927|NUC:DIST:419~421~423 928|NUC:DIST:427 929|MOD:DIST:431|MOD:DESC:433~435|NUC:DIST:437 930|NUC:DIST:443~445~447 931|NUC:DIST:451 932|MOD:DIST:451|MOD:DIST:453|NUC:DIST:455 933|MOD:DIST:457|NUC:DIST:459 934|MOD:DIST:467|NUC:DIST:469 935|NUC:DIST:473 936|NUC:DIST:473~475~477~479~481