The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on polyethylene terephthalate resin from China, India and Oman (A-570-024/C-570-025), A-533-861/C-533-862), A-523-810/C-523/811)), and antidumping duty investigation on PET resin from Canada (A-122-855)
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.
The Commerce Department issued a Federal Register notice on its recently initiated countervailing duty investigation on supercalendered paper from Canada (C-122-854) (here). The agency will determine whether imports of supercalendered paper from Canada are being illegally subsidized. The period of investigation is Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2014.
The Commerce Department issued a Federal Register notice on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigation on silicomanganese from Australia (A-602-808) (here). The agency will determine whether imports of silicomanganese from Australia are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The period of investigation is Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2014.
A group of U.S. manufacturers filed a petition on March 10 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duties on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin from Canada (A-122-855), China (A-570-024), India (A-533-861) and Oman (A-523-810), as well as countervailing duties on the same product from China (C-570-025), India (C-533-862) and Oman (C-523-811). DAK Americas, M&G Chemicals, and Nan Ya Plastics say underpriced imports of PET resin from the four countries have led to "anemic" capacity utilization by U.S. manufacturers, and have had a "negative effect on domestic industry employment."
Two U.S. paper manufacturers filed a petition on Feb. 26 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission requesting new countervailing duties be imposed on supercalendered paper from Canada (A-122-854). Madison Paper Industries and Verso Corporation, filing the petition as the Coalition for Fair Paper Importers, say low-priced competition from Canada has resulted in damage to U.S. industry, including declining capacity utilization rates, shipments, and employment. They say Canadian exporters of supercalendered paper, which is used for printed materials including magazines, catalogs, retail inserts, direct mail materials, corporate brochures, flyers, and directories, are highly oriented to the U.S. market and benefit from subsidies from the Canadian and provincial governments.
The vast majority of the 20 largest free trade agreements make use of "change of tariff classification" rules, which shows the important role of harmonized schedule classification, said the World Customs Organization in a study (here). The WCO reviewed product specific rules for the 20 largest FTAs based on 2013 trade volumes, it said. The WCO then looked at the number of rules set for a certain subheading and the inclusions of change of classification, such as those requiring a change of chapter, change of heading or a change of subheading. The study was part of the WCO's comparative study on preferential rules of origin, it said (here).
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bill since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The International Trade Commission recently posted the Basic Edition of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, effective Jan. 29 (here). Changes to the preliminary edition of Jan. 1 include moving some tariff provisions for chemicals into different headings, creating new size-based categories for certain types of photographic film, and adding new language that provides for classification of infrared video game console controllers. This update implements modifications to the tariff schedule in Annex II to Presidential Proclamation 9223 (here) that did not take effect on Jan. 1. Highlights of the changes are as follows:
CBP said its Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1501 was created Feb. 3, containing 54 ABI records and 244 harmonized tariff records. The update contains changes required by presidential proclamation (see 1412230060), it said in a CSMS message (here). The change also includes new requirements from the Agricultural Marketing Service on honey assessment (see 1411170028), 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.
A U.S. manufacturer filed a petition on Feb. 19 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission asking for new antidumping duties on silicomanganese from Australia (A-602-808). Felman Production says imports of silicomanganese from Australia have nearly tripled over the past three years, entering at “aggressively low prices” that have undersold U.S.-made silicomanganese and caused the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs.