Protocol Amending the 1950 Consular Convention with IrelandSenate Consideration of Treaty Document 106-43

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[Senate Treaty Document 106-43]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress                                              Treaty Doc.
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                      106-43

_______________________________________________________________________

                                     



 
      PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1950 CONSULAR CONVENTION WITH IRELAND

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

   PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1950 CONSULAR CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED 
  STATES OF AMERICA AND IRELAND, SIGNED AT WASHINGTON ON JUNE 16, 1998




September 5, 2000.--The Protocol was read the first time, and together 
  with the accompanying papers, referred to the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations and ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate

                                  ______

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
79-112                      WASHINGTON : 2000



                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                The White House, September 5, 2000.
To the Senate of the United States:
    I transmit herewith, for the Senate's advice and consent to 
ratification, the Protocol Amending the 1950 Consular 
Convention Between the United States of America and Ireland, 
signed at Washington on June 16, 1998. Also transmitted for the 
information of the Senate is the report of the Department of 
State with respect to the Protocol.
    The Protocol expands the scope of tax exemption under the 
1950 Consular Convention Between the United States of America 
and Ireland to provide for reciprocal exemption from all taxes, 
including Value Added Taxes (VAT) on goods and services for the 
official use of the mission or for the personal use of mission 
members and families. The amendment will provide financial 
benefit to the United States, both through direct savings on 
embassy purchases of goods and services as well as through 
lowering the cost of living for United States Government 
employees assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.
    Because the Protocol will achieve long-term tax exemption 
on the purchase of goods and services for our embassy and 
personnel in Ireland, I recommend that the Senate give early 
and favorable consideration to the Protocol and give its advice 
and consent to ratification.

                                                William J. Clinton.
                          LETTER OF SUBMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                       Department of State,
                                         Washington, June 14, 2000.
The President,
The White House.
    The President: I have the honor to submit to you, with a 
view to its transmission to the Senate for its advice and 
consent to ratification, a Protocol Amending the 1950 Consular 
Convention Between the United States of America and Ireland, 
signed at Washington on June 16, 1998 (the ``Protocol'').
    The Protocol expands the scope of the reciprocal tax 
exemption granted under the 1950 Consular Convention Between 
the United States of America and Ireland to provide exemption 
from all taxes on purchases by diplomatic and consular 
missions, members of such missions and their families.
    Specifically, Articles 1-4 of the Protocol provide for 
reciprocal exemption from all taxes, including Value Added 
Taxes (VAT), on goods and services for the official use of the 
diplomatic or consular mission as well as for the personal use 
of mission members and their families. Article 5 assures that 
the Protocol does not expand the legal obligations of the 
United States by stating that the grant of tax exemption in 
Ireland under the Protocol is coextensive with that afforded by 
the United States under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic 
Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
    As a result of this amendment to the 1950 Convention, the 
United States will derive financial benefits through direct 
savings on embassy purchases of goods and services as well as 
through lowering the cost of living for United States 
Government employees assigned to Embassy Dublin. Overall, the 
Protocol Amending the 1950 Consular Convention will further 
develop and strengthen our relations with Ireland and benefit 
the interests of nationals of both countries. I recommend that 
the Protocol be transmitted to the Senate for its advice and 
consent to ratification.
    Respectfully submitted,
                                                Madeleine Albright.