USTR Lists Countries Eligible for 2016 Sugar 'Trade Surplus' TRQs
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced eligibility for 2016 "trade surplus" tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for calendar year 2016 (here). USTR found Colombia, Panama and six members of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) eligible for the TRQ. The agency found Chile, Morocco and Peru do not qualify.
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Six DR-CAFTA Countries, Colombia, Panama Eligible for 2016 “Trade Surplus” TRQ Amounts
For Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (all members of DR-CAFTA), Colombia and Panama, exports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products each exceeded their imports of those goods in calendar year (CY) 2014. As a result, each of these countries has a trade surplus and is eligible to receive in CY 2016 the following “trade surplus” TRQ amounts to be entered duty-free under DR-CAFTA (HTS 9822.05.20), Colombia (HTS 9822.08.01) and Panama (HTS 9822.09.17):
| Costa Rica | 12,320 metric tons |
| Dominican Republic | 12,000 metric tons |
| El Salvador | 32,860 metric tons |
| Guatemala | 44,520 metric tons |
| Honduras | 9,600 metric tons |
| Nicaragua | 24,400 metric tons |
| Colombia | 53,000 metric tons |
| Panama | 525 metric tons |
Chile, Morocco and Peru Not Eligible for 2016 'Trade Surplus' TRQ
According to USTR, 2014 data indicates that for Chile, the Dominican Republic, Morocco and Peru, imports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products exceeded its exports of those goods, resulting in a trade deficit and ineligibility for the “trade surplus” TRQ. Therefore, subject goods from Chile are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9911.17.05 or at preferential tariff rates under 9911.17.10 through 9911.17.85 in CY 2016. Subject goods from Morocco are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9912.17.05 or at preferential tariff rates under 9912.17.10 through 9912.17.85 in CY 2016. In addition, subject goods from Peru are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.06.10 in CY 2016.