The Commerce Department found in a June 29 scope ruling that crushed glass surface products produced by Golden Spectrum are outside the scope of the antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on certain quartz surface products from China.
Ben Perkins
Ben Perkins, Assistant Editor, is a reporter with International Trade Today and its sister publications, Trade Law Daily and Export Compliance Daily, where he covers sanctions, court rulings, and other international trade issues. He previously worked as a trade analyst for a Washington D.C. advisory firm. Ben holds a B.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire and an M.A. in International Relations from American University. Ben joined the staff of Warren Communications News in 2022.
The Commerce Department in a June 28 scope ruling concluded that five models of wooden floor cabinets imported by Teamson are not covered by the scope of the antidumping duty order on wooden bedroom furniture from China. Teamson filed its ruling request in February, asking Commerce to find that its floor standing wooden cabinets for bathrooms are outside the scope of the AD order. Teamson said its cabinets are designed as compact bathroom cabinets to store items such as soap, shampoos, towels and toiletries without taking up much space.
The International Trade Commission ended a Section 337 investigation on imported LED landscape lighting devices (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1358) July 6, following a settlement agreement between the two involved parties, it said in a Federal Register notice. The investigation began in April (see 2304130005) after a complaint by Wangs Alliance (WAC Lighting), a New York-based lighting company. The complaint alleged Hinkley Lighting of Ohio had imported lights and fixtures that infringed on three of WAC's patents for lights with adjustable settings and variable beam angles. WAC had asked for a permanent limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order.
A street mounted docking station for electronic bikes and scooters is correctly classified as a vending machine, according to a recently released CBP ruling. The ruling concerns the Monolith Docking station, which its importer, Lyft, described as a street mounted locking platform for the securing and dispensing of E-bikes or E-scooters. The station has the ability to electronically transmit operational information such as bike availability to remote servers running operations programs.
Motor control boards and electronic speed controllers designed for use in remote-controlled vehicles are "electrical transformers," not toy parts or boards equipped with electric control devices, CBP said in a recently released ruling. The agency found the remote-controlled vehicles that incorporate the control boards and speed controllers are more advanced than toys and are instead for experienced pilots.
The International Trade Commission posted Revision 9 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The semiannual update to the HTS adds new 10-digit tariff numbers for a variety of products, including various varieties of ornamental cut flowers and greens, certified organic vegetables, and medical scrubs and protective equipment.
The lack of disclosure in Enforce and Protect Act evasion proceedings and the deferential standard of review "stack the deck" in favor of the alleger, giving importers "a lot to complain about in the EAPA process," customs lawyer Larry Friedman of Barnes/Richardson said in a July 6 blog post. Even importers who believe they have conducted reasonable due diligence may have serious unexpected liabilities that come out during the investigation, he said.
Comments are due to the International Trade Commission by July 17 concerning a possible Section 337 investigation on imported electronic nicotine delivery systems, or vaporizers, according to a Federal Register notice (ITC Docket No. 3685).
The International Trade Commission posted Revision 9 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The semiannual update to the HTS adds new 10-digit tariff numbers for a variety of products, including various varieties of ornamental cut flowers and greens, certified organic vegetables, and medical scrubs and protective equipment. All changes take effect July 1, unless otherwise specified.
The Enforce and Protect Act evasion investigation process is being gamed by both allegers and CBP to tilt it in favor of finding evasion by importers to the point that the agency finds evasion 90% of the time, customs lawyers Jennifer Diaz and David Craven said during a June 29 webinar hosted by National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Educational Institute.