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ITC's Final Report on HTS Changes for 2012 (Part 2: Ch. 1 - 5)

June 10, 2011 by Elizabeth Parker|Top News

The International Trade Commission has issued a final report in connection with its investigation of proposed 2012 WCO-recommended modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S., pursuant to section 1205 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 19881. This is Part 2 of a series of summaries of these proposed modifications, and covers changes to Chapters 1-5.

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(These WCO-recommended HTS changes, which are intended to be rate-neutral, are scheduled to take effect via proclamation on January 1, 2012; however, they can take effect no sooner than 30 days after the proclamation is published in the Federal Register).

Amendments to HTS Section I, Chapters 1-5

The following are the recommended amendments to HTS Section I (Live Animals; Animal Products) covering chapters 1-5 (see report for full descriptions/details):

Chapter 1: Live Animals

  • Note 1(a) to Chapter 1 would be modified by deleting the expression “0301, 0306 or 3007;” and inserting “0301, 0306, 0307 or 0308;” in lieu thereof.
  • Subheadings 0101.10.00 through 0101.90.40 would be superseded by the following: 0101.21.00, 0101.29.00, 0101.30.00, 0101.90, 0101.90.30, and 0101.90.40.
  • Subheading 0102.10.00 would be superseded by the following: 0102.21.00, 0102.29, 0102.29.20, 0102.29.40, 0102.31.00, and 0102.39.00.
  • Subheading 0105.19.00 would be superseded by the following: 0105.13.00, 0105.14.00, and 0105.15.00.
  • Subheading 0106.12.00 would be superseded by the following: 0106.12.01.
  • New subheadings 0106.13.00 and 0106.14.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0106.19.90 would be renumbered as 0106.19.91.
  • New subheading 0106.33.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0106.39.00 would be renumbered as 0106.39.01.
  • New subheadings 0106.41.00 and 0106.49.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0106.90.00 would be renumbered as 0106.90.01.

Chapter 2: Meat and Edible Meat Offal

  • Subheadings 0207.32.00 through 0207.36.00 and the superior text immediately preceding subheading 0207.32.00 would be superseded by the following: [Meat and edible offal, of the poultry...:] 0207.41.00, 0207.42.00, 0207.43.00, 0207.44.00, 0207.45.00, 0207.51.00, 0207.52.00, 0207.53.00, 0207.54.00, 0207.55.00, 0207.60, 0207.60.10, 0207.60.20, 0207.60.30, 0207.60.40, and 0207.60.60.
  • Subheading 0208.40.00 would renumbered as 0208.40.01, and its article description would be superseded by the following: “Of whales, dolphins and porpoises (mammals of the order Cetacea); of manatees and dugongs (mammals of the order Sirenia); of seals, sea lions and walruses (mammals of the suborder Pinnipedia)”.
  • Subheading 0208.90.90 would be renumbered as 0208.90.91.
  • New subheading 0208.60.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0209.00.00 would be superseded by the following: 0209, 0209.10.00, and 0209.90.00.
  • Subheading 0210.92.00 would be renumbered as 0210.92.01, and its article description would be superseded by the following: “Of whales, dolphins and porpoises (mammals of the order Cetacea); of manatees and dugongs (mammals of the order Sirenia); of seals, sea lions and walruses (mammals of the suborder Pinnipedia)”.
  • Subheading 0210.99.90 would be renumbered as 0210.99.91.

Chapter 3:Fish and Crustaceans, Molluscs and Other Aquatic Invertebrates

  • Subheading 0301.10.00 would be superseded by the following: 0301.11.00 and 0301.19.00.
  • Subheading 0301.93.00 would be superseded by the following: 0301.93.01.
  • Subheading 0301.94.00 would be superseded by the following: 0301.94.01.
  • Subheading 0301.99.01 would be renumbered as 0301.99.02.
  • Subheading 0302.12.00 would be superseded by the following: 0302.13.00 and 0302.14.00.
  • New subheading 0302.24.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0302.29.00 would renumbered as 0302.29.01.
  • Subheading 0302.35.00 would be superseded by the following: 0302.35.01.
  • Subheading 0302.39.01 would be renumbered as 0302.39.02.
  • Subheadings 0302.40.00 through 0302.70.40 would be superseded by the following: 0302.41.00, 0302.42.00, 0302.43.00, 0302.44, 0302.44.11, 0302.44.50, 0302.45, 0302.45.11, 0302.45.50, 0302.46, 0302.46.11, 0302.46.50, 0302.47.00, 0302.51.00, 0302.52.00, 0302.53.00, 0302.54.11, 0302.54.50, 0302.55.11, 0302.55.50, 0302.56.11, 0302.56.50, 0302.59, 0302.59.11, 0302.59.50, 0302.71, 0302.71.11, 0302.71.50, 0302.72, 0302.72.11, 0302.72.50, 0302.73, 0302.73.11, 0302.73.50, 0302.74.00, 0302.79, 0302.79.11, 0302.79.50, 0302.81.00, 0302.82.00, 0302.83.00, 0302.84, 0302.84.11, 0302.84.50, 0302.85, 0302.85.11, 0302.85.50, 0302.89, 0302.89.11, 0302.89.50, 0302.90, 0302.90.20, and 0302.90.40.
  • Conforming modifications to General Note 4(d)1 to the HTS would be made by: (i) deleting 0302.69.11 (Ecuador); and (ii) adding the following subheadings and countries: 0302.45.11 (Ecuador); 0302.46.11 (Ecuador); 0302.54.11 (Ecuador); 0302.55.11 (Ecuador); 0305.56.11 (Ecuador); 0302.59.11 (Ecuador); 0302.71.11 (Ecuador); 0302.72.11 (Ecuador); 0302.73.11 (Ecuador); 0302.79.11 (Ecuador); 0302.84.11 (Ecuador); 0302.85.11 (Ecuador); and 0302.89.11 (Ecuador).
  • Subheadings 0303.11.00 through 0303.29.00 and any superior texts thereto would be superseded by the following: [Fish, frozen, ...:] 0303.11.00, 0303.12.00, 0303.13.00, 0303.14.00, 0303.19.01, 0303.23.00, 0303.24.00, 0303.25.00, 0303.26.00, and 0303.29.01.
  • New subheading 0303.34.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0303.39.00 would be renumbered as 0303.39.01.
  • Subheading 0303.45.00 would be superseded by the following: 0303.45.01.
  • Subheading 0303.49.01 would be renumbered as 0303.49.02.
  • Subheadings 0303.51.00 through 0303.80.40 and any superior texts thereto would be superseded by the following: [Fish frozen...:] 0303.51.00, 0303.53.00, 0303.54.00, 0303.55.00, 0303.56.00, 0303.57.00, 0303.63.00, 0303.64.00, 0303.65.00, 0303.66.00, 0303.67.00, 0303.68.00, 0303.69.00, 0303.81.00, 0303.82.00, 0303.83.00, 0303.84.00, 0303.89.00, 0303.90, 0303.90.20, and 0303.90.40.
  • Subheadings 0304.11.00 through 0304.29.60 and any superior text thereto would be superseded by the following: [Fish fillets and other fish meat...:] 0304.31.00, 0304.32.00, 0304.33.00, 0304.39.00, 0304.41.00, 0304.42.00, 0304.43.00, 0304.44.00, 0304.45.00, 0304.46.00, 0304.49.00, 0304.51.00, 0304.52.00, 0304.53.00, 0304.54.00, 0304.55.00, 0304.59.00, 0304.61.00, 0304.62.00, 0304.63.00, 0304.69.00, 0304.71, 0304.71.10, 0304.71.50, 0304.72, 0304.72.10, 0304.72.50, 0304.73, 0304.73.10, 0304.73.50, 0304.74, 0304.74.10, 0304.74.50, 0304.75, 0304.75.10, 0304.75.50, 0304.79, 0304.79.10, 0304.79.50, 0304.81, 0304.81.10, 0304.81.50, 0304.82, 0304.82.10, 0304.82.50, 0304.83, 0304.83.10, 0304.83.50, 0304.84.00, 0304.85.00, 0304.86.00, 0304.87.00, 0304.89, 0304.89.10, and 0304.89.50.
  • The superior text immediately preceding subheading 0304.91 would be superseded by the following: “Other, frozen:”.
  • New subheadings 0304.93.10, 0304.93.90, 0304.94.10, 0304.94.90, 0304.95.10 and 0304.95.90 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheadings 0304.99.10 and 0304.99.90 would be renumbered as 0304.99.11 and 0304.99.91, respectively.
  • Subheadings 0305.30 through 0305.30.60 would be superseded by the following: 0305.31.00, 0305.32.00, 0305.39, 0305.39.20, 0305.39.40, and 0305.39.60.
  • The superior text immediately preceding subheading 0305.41.00 would be superseded by the following: “Smoked fish, including fillets, other than edible fish offal:”.
  • New subheadings 0305.43.00 and 0305.44.00 would be inserted in numerical order.
  • The superior text immediately preceding subheading 0305.51.00 would be superseded by the following: “Dried fish, other than edible fish offal, whether or not salted but not smoked:”.
  • The superior text immediately preceding subheading 0305.61.00 would superseded by the following: “Fish, salted but not dried or smoked, and fish in brine, other than edible fish offal:”.
  • New subheadings 0305.64.10 and 0305.64.50 would be inserted in numerical order.
  • New subheadings 0305.71.00, 0305.72.00 and 0305.79.00 would be inserted in numerical order.
  • The text of heading 0306 would be superseded by the following: “Crustaceans, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked crustaceans, whether in shell or not, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; crustaceans, in shell, cooked by steaming or by boiling in water, whether or not chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; flours, meals and pellets of crustaceans, fit for human consumption:”.
  • Subheading 0306.13.00 would be deleted.
  • New subheadings 0306.15.00, 0306.16.00 and 0306.17.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0306.23.00 would be deleted.
  • New subheadings 0306.25.00, 0306.26.00 and 0306.27.00 would be inserted in numerical sequence.
  • Subheading 0306.29.00 would be renumbered as 0306.29.01.
  • The text of heading 0307 would be superseded by the following: “Molluscs, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked molluscs, whether in shell or not, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; flours, meals and pellets of molluscs, fit for human consumption:”.
  • Subheading 0307.10.00 would be superseded by the following: 0307.11.00, and 0307.19.00.
  • Subheadings 0307.91.00 and 0307.99.00 and the superior text thereto would be superseded by the following: [Molluscs, whether in shell or not,...:] 0307.71.00, 0307.79.00, 0307.81.00, 0307.89.00, 0307.91.01, and 0307.99.01.
  • New heading 0308 and subheadings 0308.11.00, 0308.19.00, 0308.21.00, 0308.29.00, 0308.30.00, and 0308.90.00 (certain aquatic invertebrates) would be inserted in numerical sequence.

Chapter 4: Dairy Produce; Birds Eggs; Natural Honey; Edible Products of Animal Origin, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included

  • Subheadings 0401.30 through 0401.30.75 and any superior texts thereto would be superseded by the following: [Milk and cream, not concentrated...:] 0401.40, 0401.40.02, 0401.40.05, 0401.40.25, 0401.50, 0401.50.02, 0401.50.05, 0401.50.25, 0401.50.42, 0401.50.50, and 0401.50.75.
  • Additional U.S. Note 5 to Chapter 4 would be modified by deleting the expression “0401.30.05" and inserting “0401.40.05, 0401.50.05" in lieu thereof.
  • Additional U.S. Note 6 to Chapter 4 would be modified by deleting the expression “0401.30.05" and inserting “0401.40.05, 0401.50.05" in lieu thereof.
  • Subheading 0407.00.00 would be superseded by the following: 0407, 0407.11.00, 0407.19.00, 0407.21.00, 0407.29.00, and 0407.90.00.

(Note that no changes are proposed for Chapter 5.)

1Section 1205 directs the ITC to keep the HTS under continuous review and to recommend to the President modifications thereto, (1) when amendments to the international Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System, International HS), and the Protocol thereto, are recommended by the World Customs Organization (WCO) for adoption; and/or (2) as other circumstances warrant.

2General Note 4(d) lists Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country/tariff number combinations that are not eligible for GSP duty-free treatment.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/09/11 news, 11060918, for BP summary of Part 1 of this report which provides an overview of the HTS chapters that will be affected by the proposed modifications.

See ITT's Online Archives or 03/09/11 news, 10090315, for BP summary of the ITC announcing its investigation on proposed changes to the HTS for January 2012.)

(ITC Inv. No. 1205-7 (Final Report), dated June 2010)