[Senate Treaty Document 106-43]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
106th Congress Treaty Doc.
SENATE
2d Session 106-43
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PROTOCOL AMENDING THE 1950 CONSULAR CONVENTION WITH IRELAND
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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
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
79-112 WASHINGTON : 2000
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
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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
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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.