The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Section 232 national security adjustments for imports, it said in a Federal Register notice. The data collection relates to presidential proclamations 10895 and 10896, which require the Department of Commerce secretary to establish a process for including additional derivative aluminum and steel articles within the Section 232 tariffs for steel and aluminum. BIS said the agency is collecting data as part of broader efforts by the commerce secretary to conduct investigations on the effects on U.S. national security of importing an article. Comments are due by Sept. 30.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on two information collections related to the agency's delivery verification procedures for imports, it said in notices released July 25. Some foreign governments require U.S. importers of certain “strategic commodities” to provide the foreign supplier with a U.S. Delivery Verification Certificate, which validates that the items were received, BIS said in both notices. “This procedure increases the effectiveness of controls on the international trade of strategic commodities.” Comments for both collections are due Sept. 26.
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill to increase funding for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative by $6 million, more than 10%, and to increase funding for the Bureau of Industry and Security, which handles Section 232 action, by $20 million -- almost 10%.
The Commerce Department is launching a pair of Section 232 investigations into imports of drones and polysilicon from China, according to notices released July 14. Comments are due on Aug. 6 for polysilicon and its derivatives and for drones and their parts.
Hundreds of Section 232 inclusion requests for metal derivatives cover more than $310 billion in annual imports, and imposing 50% tariffs on part of the value of "such a wide array of items, particularly where many products do not meaningfully contain steel or aluminum, risks disrupting sectors far removed from the primary industries targeted by the original Section 232 actions," argued trade groups asking Commerce to slow down before making decisions.
The value of the steel in refrigerator-freezers; dryers; washing machines; dishwashers; chest and upright freezers; cooking stoves; ranges and ovens; food waste disposals; and welded wire rack will be taxed at 50%, starting on June 23, the Bureau of Industry and Security said in a notice that will be published in the Federal Register June 16.
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The Bureau of Industry and Security is looking to continue moving away from proposed rulemakings and instead issue most new rules as interim final or final, said two people with knowledge of the agency’s plans.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will post all valid requests for new tariff subheadings to be added to the lists of derivatives subject to Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs after the conclusion of the two-week window to submit requests that began May 1, BIS said in an interim final rule published May 2 (see 2504300031). Once they are posted, BIS will accept comments for 14 days.
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