Harmonized Tariff Schedule

The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Aug. 6-12:

A domestic manufacturer is seeking the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on steel wheels 12 to 16.5 inches in diameter from China, it said in a petition filed Aug. 9 with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission. The petition specifically targets steel wheels sold for use with trailers, including utility trailers, cargo trailers, horse trailers, boat trailers, recreational trailers and towable mobile homes. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations that could eventually result in the assessment of AD/CV duties.

China plans to hit a wide range of goods from the U.S. with 10 percent tariffs in response to the Trump administration's most recent proposed tariffs on Chinese goods (see 1808030013). Among the major items by value targeted by the Chinese on its 5 percent tariff list are bleached coniferous wood pulp in 4703.21.00 and untanned cow hide and skin in 4101.50.19, according to International Trade Centre data cited in a tweet.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service are planning to use a "certificate of admissibility" to comply with a court order to ban fish and fish products from Mexican fisheries that use gillnets near the endangered vaquita porpoises, the government said in an Aug. 3 filing. The Justice Department said there are "certain implementation challenges" due to the inclusion of two species of fish that are to be banned within the basket of provisions of a Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading that also include other species. A Court of International Trade judge recently approved a preliminary injunction (see 1807260039) that said the government must "ban the importation of all fish and fish products from Mexican commercial fisheries that use gillnets within the vaquita’s range."

China plans to hit a wide range of goods from the U.S. with 10 percent tariffs in response to the Trump administration's most recent proposed tariffs on Chinese goods (see 1808030013) Among the major items by value targeted by the Chinese on its 10 percent tariff list are food preparations in 2106.90.90, lasers other than laser diodes in 9013.20.00, and cast glass sheets in 7003.19.00, according to International Trade Centre data cited in a tweet.

China plans to hit a wide range of goods from the U.S. with 20 percent tariffs in response to the Trump administration's most recent proposed tariffs on Chinese goods (see 1808030013) Among the major items by value targeted by the Chinese on its 20 percent tariff list are machines and mechanical appliances in 8479.89.99, parts of diodes, transistors and similar semiconductor devices in 8541.90.00, other optical instruments in 9031.49.90 and North American hardwood in 4403.99.60, according to International Trade Centre data cited in a tweet.

China responded to proposed U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods under Section 301 with a new tariff threat of its own on Aug. 3. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced plans to add tariffs of between 5 percent and 25 percent on 5,207 items, said to account for about $60 billion worth of goods from the U.S. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is considering imposing tariffs of 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods (see 1808010070). "The US measures have deviated from the consensus of the two sides, leading to an escalation of trade friction between China and the United States, serious violations of relevant rules of the World Trade Organization, and damage to our national interests and people's interests," the Ministry of Commerce said, according to an unofficial translation.

As critics continue ratcheting up their opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed third round of Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports, it remains to be seen how the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will accommodate all who have requested to testify in five-minute slots during four days of public hearings scheduled to begin Aug. 20. Well more than 300 people in various industries filed requests in docket USTR-2018-0026 by the July 27 deadline to appear at the hearings, virtually all of them to say they'll testify against the tariffs.

CBP won't enforce parts of the agency's in-bond requirements until Feb. 6, it said in a Aug. 1 CSMS message. CBP previously planned to begin enforcement on Aug. 6 (see 1801050018). The delay is due to "issues identified with electronic communication for intermodal movement of cargo and other operational issues," CBP said. CBP will continue to stamp or perforate CBP Forms 7512 to verify exportation upon requests from a carrier "until further notice," it said.

The U.S. trade relationship with China "significantly impacts” Consumer Technology Association member companies, large and small, because they “rely on the global supply chain -- including China -- to conduct business,” said Sage Chandler, CTA vice president-international trade. She asked to appear at Aug. 20-23 public hearings to oppose 10 percent Section 301 tariffs proposed in a July 10 Office of the U.S. Trade Representative notice. CTA members identified 302 tariff lines of Chinese imports in the notice, accounting for more than $109 billion in value, for which 10 percent duties “would be detrimental to their business,” Chandler said in her July 27 filing. CTA is still gathering “relevant data” on the tariffs’ possible impact on members, and the numbers she cited may need to be “updated” by the time written comments are due Aug. 17, she said.