Honeywell International seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on pentafluoroethane (R-125) from China, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission Jan. 12. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CV duty orders and the assessment of AD and CV duties on importers.
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 issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2101 on Jan. 12, containing 389 Automated Broker Interface records and 72 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. The changes reflect extensions for COVID-19 treatment Section 301 exclusions (see 2012230076) and increased tariffs on European Union goods (see 2012310010).
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from Jan. 4-8 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The International Trade Commission on Jan. 11 posted Revision 2 to the 2021 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, implementing an increase in tariffs on goods of the European Union that takes effect Jan. 12 (see 2012310010). The ITC added new U.S. Note 21(s) to describe fortified wines and grape spirits from France and Germany that are newly subject to 25% Section 301 tariff under new subheading 9903.89.57.The note also describes grape spirits that are not subject to the additional tariffs, but which nonetheless are given their own Chapter 99 subheading at 9903.89.59. Similarly, the ITC also added new U.S. Note 21(t) to describe aircraft manufacturing parts from France and Germany subject to the additional 15% tariff under subheading 9903.89.61. The new note also describes aircraft manufacturing parts that are not covered by the new tariffs, which should be filed under new subheading 9903.89.63.
The International Trade Commission posted the 2021 Preliminary Edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The new HTS implements the removal of GSP benefits for many Thai products, as well as the redesignation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as eligible for African Growth and Opportunity Act benefits, and the extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act until 2020. New statistical breakouts are also added for many medical products, including those used in the treatment of COVID-19, as well as for industrial turbines and hemp seed, among other goods. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2021, unless otherwise noted.
The International Trade Commission posted the 2021 Preliminary Edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The new HTS implements the removal of GSP benefits for many Thai products, as well as the redesignation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as eligible for AGOA, and the extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act until 2020. New statistical breakouts are also added for many medical products, including those used in the treatment of COVID-19, as well as for industrial turbines and hemp seed, among other goods. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2021, unless otherwise noted.
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2009 on Dec. 29, containing 21,982 Automated Broker Interface records and 3,954 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.L.Keeling@cbp.dhs.gov
A Commerce Department license is required for prefabricated pipe spools that include components that would require such a license when imported separately, CBP said in a Dec. 28 CSMS message. “Where the [Harmonized Tariff Schedule] classification requires a license under the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) Program, a license is required for each entry summary line reporting that HTS classification,” CBP said. “Where the license is required but not reported for an entry summary line for an HTS, ACE will reject the entry filing. Accordingly, importers must obtain from Commerce, and report at the time of entry summary filing, a steel import license number for every entry summary line of a pipe spool where the HTS requires a steel import license.”
The new General Approved Exclusions from Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum will be deployed in ACE as of 7 a.m. Dec. 29, CBP said in a Dec. 23 CSMS message. The Commerce Department announced the new GAEs in a Dec. 14 notice (see 2012100047). The GAEs exclude 108 entire Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications from the tariffs on steel and 15 classifications from the aluminum tariffs, CBP said. “GAEs may be used by any importer and have no quantitative limit,” it said. “Exclusions are effective starting December 29, 2020, and no retroactive relief will be granted.”