The International Trade Commission on July 1 published Revision 1 to the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (here). The latest edition of the HTS makes only technical corrections and changes to statistical suffixes, said the ITC. Among other new statistical suffixes, the ITC added new breakouts for wheat, artificial turf, electric car batteries and boltless steel shelving. Highlights of changes in Revision 1 of the 2015 HTS are as follows:
Harmonized Tariff Schedule
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) is a reference manual that provides duty rates for almost every item that exists. It is a system of classifying and taxing all goods imported into the United States. The HTS is based on the international Harmonized System, which is a global standard for naming and describing trade products, and consists of a hierarchical structure that assigns a specific code and rate to each type of merchandise for duty, quota, and statistical purposes. The HTS was made effective on January 1, 1989, replacing the former Tariff Schedules of the United States. It is maintained by the U.S. International Trade Commission, but the Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the HTS.
CBP said its Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1504 was created June 29, containing 136 ABI records and 29 harmonized tariff records. The update includes changes required by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules, said CBP (here). Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on corrosion-resistant steel products from China (A-570-026/C-570-027), India (A-533-863/C-570-864), Italy (A-475-832/C-475-833), South Korea (A-580-878/C-570-879), and Taiwan (A-583-856/C-570-857).
A coalition of U.S. manufacturers filed a petition on June 25 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission asking for new antidumping duties on hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blends and components thereof from China (A-570-028). The American HFC Coalition alleges "Chinese producers have injured the U.S. industry by selling the refrigerants at unfairly low prices that consistently undercut the prices of the U.S. producers," which has "had a direct negative impact on U.S. producer revenues and profitability," it said in a press release.
The World Customs Organization is making additional changes to the latest version of the Harmonized System set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2017, it said (here). Agreed at its 125th and 126th sessions in June, changes (here) include corrections to new and modified subheadings for fish and mosquito nets. The corrections will take effect alongside the 2017 Harmonized System on Jan. 1, 2017. Other more substantive changes that affect classification of wood products take effect Jan. 1, 2018, said the WCO.
CBP said its Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1503 was created May 28, containing 29,478 ABI records and 5,084 harmonized tariff records. The update adds new other government agency code indicators for use with Partner Government Agency (PGA) message sets, said CBP (here). Changes also include updates to raspberry assessments, it said. Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
The Commerce Department issued its final antidumping duty determination on steel nails from Taiwan (A-583-854) (here). In a change from its negative preliminary determination, Commerce found dumping of subject merchandise by Taiwanese exporters. As such, the agency will direct CBP to suspend liquidation and collect cash deposits of estimated AD duties for entries on or after May 20.
The Commerce Department issued its final affirmative countervailing duty determination on steel nails from Vietnam (C-552-819) (here). Suspension of liquidation is currently not in effect for entries on or after March 3, and Commerce will only require cash deposits of estimated CV duties on future entries if it issues a CV duty order.
The Commerce Department issued its final determination in the antidumping duty investigation on steel nails from South Korea (A-580-874) (here). The agency calculated a zero percent rate for Jinheung and its affiliates, permanently exempting the company from suspension of liquidation, cash deposit requirements, and duty assessments under this AD duty order.
The Commerce Department issued its final determinations in the antidumping duty investigations on steel nails from Malaysia (A-557-816), Oman (A-523-808) and Vietnam (A-552-818) (here). The agency made changes to cash deposit requirements for these countries that will take effect for subject merchandise entered on or after May 20.