The Commerce Department issued notices in the Federal Register on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on non-refillable steel cylinders from China (A-570-126/C-570-127). The CV duty investigation covers entries Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2019. The AD duty investigation covers entries July 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2019.
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.
James Holbein retired as director of the International Trade Commission’s Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (TATA) in early February, an ITC spokesperson said. In that role, he had been responsible for maintaining and publishing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule since 2014. Holbein is now listed as of counsel at Braumiller Law Group. Cathy DeFilippo, director of the ITC’s Office of Operations, is now acting director of TATA, the spokesperson said. The director of TATA reports to the director of Operations.
The Commerce Department issued notices in the Federal Register on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on lawn mower engines from China (A-570-124/C-570-125). The CV duty investigation covers entries Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2019. The AD duty investigation covers entries July 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2019.
The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigations on common alloy aluminum sheet from Bahrain (A-525-001), Brazil (A-351-854), Croatia (A-891-001), Egypt (A-729-803), Germany (A-428-849), Greece (A-484-804), India (A-533-895), Indonesia (A-560-835), Italy (A-475-842), South Korea (A-580-906), Oman (A-523-814), Romania (A-485-809), Serbia (A-801-001), Slovenia (A-856-001), South Africa (A-791-825), Spain (A-469-820), Taiwan (A-583-867) and Turkey (A-489-839), and its recently initiated countervailing duty investigation on Brazil (C-351-855), Turkey (C-489-840), Bahrain (C-525-002) and India (C-533-896).
Doorknobs with keyed, thumbturn locks are classifiable as knobs, not locks, in the tariff schedule, the Court of International Trade said in a March 26 decision that was publicly released April 2. After being directed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to treat the door hardware as composite goods (see 1902190036), CIT found that the knobs give the hardware sets their essential character, classifying them in Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) heading 8502.
A domestic producer coalition filed petitions on March 31 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duty investigations on mattresses from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam, and new countervailing duties on mattresses from China. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on mattresses from these countries that could eventually result in the assessment of AD/CV duties.
A U.S. manufacturer seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on non-refillable cylinders from China, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission March 26. 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 Office of U.S. Trade Representative announced a new round of 301 tariff exclusions (see 2003260009) that includes some medical supplies that were included in the fourth tranche of tariffs.
A coalition of U.S. manufacturers seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on vertical shaft engines between 99 cc and up to 225 cc, and parts thereof, from China, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission March 17. 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.
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2003 on March 18, containing 8,453 Automated Broker Interface records and 1,413 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. The update includes the increase to Section 301 tariffs on European Union aircraft and other changes related to the Boeing-Airbus dispute at the World Trade Organization (see 2002180040). The update also covers recent Section 301 tariff exclusions for medical goods on list 4A (see 2003060042 and 2003130010) and recently released Section 301 tariff exclusions for goods on the third list (see 2002190015).