At the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America's annual conference, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials provided an update on 10+2. Among other things, officials discussed the possible extension of the delayed compliance period, penalties, Importer Security Filing (ISF) report cards, and filing statistics.
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 International Trade Administration has initiated a countervailing duty investigation to determine whether manufacturers, producers, or exporters of polyethylene retail carrier bags in Vietnam receive countervailable subsidies.
The International Trade Data System1 Product Information Committee has issued a recommendation report to the Board of Directors entitled "Leveraging E-Commerce Product Data for Smarter Cargo Management."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a revised version of its informed compliance publication entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Vehicles, Parts and Accessories Under the HTSUS.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated notice on the Agriculture Priority Trade Issue (PTI). CBP sources have confirmed that Agriculture continues to be a PTI in 2009, as it has been for the past few years.
According to a White House press briefing, on April 13, 2009, the President directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba, and to send them remittances.
The International Trade Administration has issued an antidumping duty order on certain steel threaded rod from China.
The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule to amend 7 CFR Part 1205 to increase the value assigned to imported cotton for the supplemental assessments portion of the tax collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products ("imported cotton").
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk has announced that the U.S. will impose an additional 10% duty on imports of certain softwood lumber products of Canada, whose Region of Origin is Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan, in response to Canada's failure to cure its breach of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement between the U.S. and Canada (SLA 2006) or provide the monetary compensation determined by a SLA arbitral tribunal.
The World Customs Organization's Harmonized System Committee (HSC) has adopted amendments to the Harmonized System, the international level tariff schedule, at its 43rd Session from March 9-20, 2009. The HSC adopted these amendments to the HS in the context of the fourth review cycle.1