CBP is seeking comments by Nov. 20 on existing information collection requests for foreign-trade zone annual reconciliation certification and record-keeping requirements, exportation of articles under special bond, cost submissions and entry of articles for exhibition, it said in notices published in the Oct. 21 Federal Register. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of these information collections with no change to the burden hours or the information collected.
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 Commission on Oct. 14 issued Revision 23 to the 2020 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The latest edition implements extensions to exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on products from China under new subheadings 9903.88.60 and 9903.88.61 (see 2010010038). A few technical corrections are also made to General Note 11 on USMCA.
Solar importers intend to oppose President Donald Trump’s Oct. 10 proclamation ending an exemption from safeguard duties for bifacial panels (see 2010130028), they told the Court of International Trade in a status report filed Oct. 15. The proclamation runs contrary to the safeguard laws, and is barred by a CIT injunction currently in effect against the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s earlier attempts to end the exemption, they said. The brief was filed hours after a related court decision left the injunction in place.
Two domestic manufacturers filed a petition Oct. 7 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duties on thermal paper from Germany, Japan, South Korea and Spain. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD duty investigations on thermal paper. Appvion Operations and Domtar Corp. requested the inquiry.
The Wind Tower Trade Coalition seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on utility scale wind towers from India and Malaysia, and new antidumping duties on wind towers from Spain, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission Sept. 30. 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.
The Foreign Agricultural Service will charge $290 for the 2021 tariff-rate quota (TRQ) year for each license issued to a person or firm by the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorizing the importation of certain dairy articles that are subject to tariff-rate quotas set forth in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, it said in a notice released Oct. 2. The new fee is $10 lower than the $300 fee charged for 2018, 2019 and 2020 TRQ year licenses.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is making minor changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to correct tariff treatment for certain USMCA-qualifying textile and apparel goods, it said in a notice released Oct. 2. All of the changes consist of renumbering existing provisions of chapter 98 subchapter XXIII. The changes are retroactive to July 1.
The Agricultural Marketing Service is amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations to increase the value assigned to imported cotton for the purposes of calculating supplemental assessments on imports collected under the Cotton Research and Promotion Program, it said in a notice released Oct. 2. The revised value in the direct final rule is 1.1562 cent, a decrease of .066 cent per kilogram. The decrease reflects a fall in the average price of Upland cotton received by U.S. farmers during the period January through December 2019. AMS's notice also includes a table of adjusted assessments corresponding to each Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading for which they are due. The changes take effect Dec. 4, unless adverse comments are received by Nov. 4.
More than 150 exclusions from lists 1 and 2 Section 301 China tariffs are set to expire Oct. 2, after the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative declined to extend them in the days prior to their expiration.
The Aluminum Association filed petitions on Sept. 29 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duty investigations on aluminum foil from Armenia, Brazil, Oman, Russia and Turkey, and new countervailing duties on aluminum foil from Oman and Turkey. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on aluminum from these countries that could eventually result in the assessment of AD/CV duties.