USTR Lists Countries Eligible for 2017 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 2017 (here). USTR found Colombia and five members of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) eligible for the TRQ. The agency found Panama, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Morocco and Peru do not qualify.
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Five CAFTA-DR Countries, Colombia, Panama Eligible for 2017 'Trade Surplus' TRQ Amounts
For Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (all members of CAFTA-DR), and Colombia, exports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products each exceeded their imports of those goods in calendar year (CY) 2015. As a result, each of these countries has a trade surplus and is eligible to receive in CY 2017 the following “trade surplus” TRQ amounts to be entered duty-free under CAFTA-DR (HTS 9822.05.20) and Colombia (HTS 9822.08.01).
| Costa Rica | 13,420 metric tons |
| El Salvador | 34,000 metric tons |
| Guatemala | 47,000 metric tons |
| Honduras | 9,760 metric tons |
| Nicaragua | 26,840 metric tons |
| Colombia | 53,750 metric tons |
Chile, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru Not Eligible for 2017 'Trade Surplus' TRQ
According to USTR, 2015 data indicate that for Chile, the Dominican Republic, Morocco, Panama 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 in CY 2017. 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 2017. In addition, subject goods from Peru are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.06.10 in CY 2017. Moreover, subject goods from the Dominican Republic are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.05.20 in CY 2017, and subject goods from Panama are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.09.17 in CY 2017.
(Federal Register 12/23/16)