ITC Lets Slip Possible Changes to Chapters 1-44 in 2013 HTS
Revisions to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for 2013 may include modifications of provisions on Tariff Rate Quotas for Australian beef, as well as the addition of statistical suffixes for certain “certified organic” fruit, vegetable, and nut products, according to a 2013 version of the HTS prematurely posted to the International Trade Commission website. The mistakenly posted HTS was only available for a few hours on Dec. 20. The ITC’s HTS home page now displays the message: “the 2013 edition of the HTS was prematurely published on December 20, 2012. The complete 2013 edition will be published as soon as possible.” The changes would have been effective Jan. 1, 2013.
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The change record for the 2013 HTS only shows changes for Chapters 1-44. This is not the final version of the HTS, so the changes detailed below may not reflect the actual HTS changes once the final version is posted.
‘Certified Organic’ Statistical Suffixes may be Added for Some Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts
According to the change record, statistical suffixes may be added for “certified organic” fruits, vegetables, and nuts. For each of these products, the ITC may add statistical suffixes for “certified organic” and “other.” International Trade Today was only able to see specific changes in Chapters 1-9 before the ITC removed the premature HTS. Affected products in Chapters 1-9 include the following:
- 0703.20.00 -- “Garlic: Fresh whole bulbs”
- 0802.12.00 -- “Almonds: Shelled”
- 0803.90.00 -- “Bananas and plantains, fresh or dried: Other” (i.e., other than plantains, or Bananas)
- 0804.50.40 & 1509.50.60 -- Mangoes
- 0910.11.00 -- “Ginger: Neither crushed nor ground”
Additionally, although International Trade Today was not able to verify these changes, the change record details changes to statistical suffixes for the following products that seem to mirror in structure the above modifications to add “certified organic” statistical suffixes:
- 1204.00.00 -- “Flaxseed (linseed), whether or not broken”
- 1509.10.20 & 1509.10.40 -- “Olive oil and its fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified: Virgin”
Other Statistical Suffix Changes in Chapters 22, 44
The change record also details changes to certain statistical suffixes in Chapters 22 (Beverages, spirits and vinegar) and 44 (Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal). Although ITT was unable to determine the substance of these changes, the change record says they may affect the following tariff subheadings:
- 2204.10.00 -- Sparkling Wine
- 2204.21.50 -- Red, white, and “other” wine (not ice wine), valued over $1.05/liter, of an alcoholic strength by volume not over 14 percent vol.
- 4412.31.40.70, 4412.32, 4412.99 -- Certain kinds of plywood
Implementation of Australia Beef TRQs
Finally, the change record said the ITC is modifying the HTS to implement changes to maximum allowable quantities of beef imported from Australia, pursuant to the U.S.-Australia FTA. The changes are detailed in Presidential Proclamation 7857, and affect subheading 9913.02 in Chapter 99. The following subheadings may be modified to make conforming changes: 0201.10.50, 0201.20.80, 0201.30.80, 0202.10.50, 0202.20.80, 0202.30.80.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the retracted change record.