USTR Releases Schedule for 2015 GSP Eligibility, CNL Waiver Reviews
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is moving forward with its review of the Generalized System of Preferences and is ready to consider petitions to modify both the list of GSP-eligible products and the beneficiary status of GSP countries, it said (here). The agency will also begin to accept petitions for waivers on 2015 GSP competitive need limitations. The agency outlined the following new deadlines in its GSP review (petitions are due at 5:00 p.m. on each deadline):
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- Oct. 16: Petitions to modify the list of articles eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP.
- Oct. 16: Petitions to review the GSP status of any beneficiary developing country.
- Nov. 23: Petitions requesting waivers of CNLs.
USTR will announce the petitions accepted for a review in the Federal Register at an undetermined, later date. No late submissions will be considered.
Stakeholders, including foreign governments, may petition for additional products in GSP only if those products originate in least developing countries or African Growth and Opportunity Act beneficiaries. The public may also petition USTR to withdraw, suspend or limit benefits for GSP products or “otherwise modify GSP coverage.” Petitioning stakeholders must include a “detailed description of the product and the eight-digit subheading of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under which the product is classified.” Many products are statutorily ineligible for GSP beneficiary status.
USTR urges stakeholders that are considering petitioning the agency on GSP eligibility for any country to first review the terms of GSP beneficiary status. Nearly a dozen countries are currently under review (here). Petitions on 2015 CNL waivers will also be accepted. USTR officials listed in early June more than 100 products set for removal from the program over 2014 CNLs (see 1507060025). The agency then held a hearing on 2014 CNL waivers on Aug. 11 (see 1508100014).
USTR urges stakeholders to submit petitions through www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2015-0013.
(Federal Register 08/19/15)