The Commerce Department issued a countervailing duty order on large diameter welded carbon and alloy steel structural pipe from Turkey (C-489-834). The order sets permanent countervailing duties, which will remain in place unless revoked by Commerce in a sunset or changed circumstances review. Commerce will now begin conducting annual administrative reviews, if requested, to determine final assessments of CV duties on importers and make changes to cash deposit rates.
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 Commerce Department issued an antidumping duty order on large diameter welded carbon and alloy steel line pipe from Greece (A-484-803). The order sets permanent antidumping duties, which will remain in place unless revoked by Commerce in a sunset or changed circumstances review. Commerce will now begin conducting annual administrative reviews, if requested, to determine final assessments of AD duties on importers and make changes to cash deposit rates.
A U.S. manufacturer seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on vertical file cabinets from China, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission April 29. 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.
A coalition of U.S. producers is seeking the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on dried tart cherries from Turkey, it said in a petition filed April 22 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations that could eventually result in the assessment of AD/CV duties. The petition was filed by the Dried Tart Cherry Trade Committee.
The Commerce Department issued a notice in the Federal Register on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigation on sodium sulfate anhydrous from Canada (A-122-866). The agency will determine whether imports of merchandise subject to this investigation are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The period of investigation is Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2018.
CBP on April 18 added the ability in ACE for importers to file entries with the third group of exclusions from Section 301 duties, it said in a CSMS message. Filers of imported products that were granted an exclusion should report the regular Chapter 84, 85 or 90 Harmonized Tariff Schedule number, as well as subheading 9903.88.07 for products subject to Section 301 duties on products from China but that have been granted an exclusion by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. “Do not submit the corresponding Chapter 99 HTS number for the Section 301 duties when HTS 9903.88.07 is submitted,” CBP said.
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1906 on April 17, containing 414 Automated Broker Interface records and 85 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. The update includes adjustments required by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's announcement of new exemptions from Section 301 tariffs on China (see 1904170038). Modifications required by the verification of the 2019 HTS are included as well.
A coalition of U.S. producers seeks the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on ceramic tile from China, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission April 10. 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 sole U.S. producer of titanium sponge, TIMET, argued to the Commerce Department that two Japanese companies and TIMET should be given a price advantage and that all other countries' producers should be restricted through quotas or tariffs that are not subject to drawback. TIMET, which failed to win an antidumping case because the International Trade Commission said its production was not in direct competition with imports used by other U.S. processors, is asking for a preference pricing scheme, similar to those used in suspension agreements for antidumping cases.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 1-5 in case they were missed.