The State Department has issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the recent session of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue on October 20-22, 2010, at which Secretary of State Clinton commented on interest in Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) for Pakistan, among other things.
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.
A Proclamation to amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to provide duty-free treatment to additional types of Haitian textile and apparel products, as provided for by the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act (Public Law 111-171), is awaiting Presidential signature, and has been for some time.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announces that its Trade Policy Staff Committee is inviting comments on negotiating objectives with respect to Malaysia’s participation in the ongoing negotiations of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.
The following is a list of current U.S trade preference programs, as well as a list of current free trade agreements.1 Any expiration dates are noted.
During October 14, 2010 and September 22, 2010 webinars, Consumer Product Safety Commission officials spoke about imports and the agency’s “new presence and enforcement” since enactment of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).
The Government Accountability Office has issued its report to congressional requestors regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s implementation of the Importer Security Filing (ISF) requirements of the 10+2 interim final rule.
On October 4, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not hear Totes-Isotoner Corporation’s challenge to higher tariff rates for men’s gloves, as opposed to gloves for women and children.
The International Trade Administration has made a final affirmative antidumping duty determination that certain coated paper suitable for high-quality print graphics using sheet-fed presses (certain coated paper) from China is being, or is likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value (A-570-958).
The International Trade Administration has made a final affirmative countervailing duty determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain coated paper suitable for high-quality print graphics using sheet-fed presses (certain coated paper) from China (C-570-959).
The International Trade Administration has made a final affirmative countervailing duty determination that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain coated paper suitable for high-quality print graphics using sheet-fed presses (certain coated paper) from Indonesia (C-560-824).