The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site an updated version of the 2004 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS) dated July 1, 2004 (Supplement 1).
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.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of June 22, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 06/22/04, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated antidumping (AD) duty investigations of chlorinated isocyanurates (chlorinated isos) from China and Spain.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses (dated May 21, 2004) labeled as pertaining to the "Vessel Mode" of transportation, for the inbound ocean portion of its final rule on the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (ocean, air, rail, and truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S.
The ITC has posted to its Web site a list of corrections to the printed and electronic versions of the 2004 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS) in order to correct known errors discovered after the issuance of the January 1, 2004 HTS.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued several notices requesting written comments from the public and other federal agencies by July 6, 2004 regarding the following unchanged information collections that it intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval and extension of the expiration date:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site the April 2004 Customs broker exam and answer key.
On March 4, 2004, the Senate passed its version of H.R. 1047, the "Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2003."
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an updated Industry Guidance which lists, and provides a written description for, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers that are flagged in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) entry system with imported food prior notice FD3 or FD4 indicators.
U.S. government sources state that the International Trade Commission (ITC) has decided to delay the posting of a revised 2004 electronic Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS Revision 1).