GHY Tradelines

(Zeebiz.com)

Certain categories of Indian steel pipes being exported to the US received a subsidy of about 300 per cent, an American trade body said on Wednesday.

As a result, the US Department of Commerce has instructed Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates, an official statement said.

“In the India investigation, mandatory respondents Zenith Birla (India) Ltd and Lloyds Metals and Engineers Ltd both received preliminary net subsidy rates of 285.95 per cent, based on the application of adverse facts available,” the International Trade Administration said.

All other Indian producers/exporters also received a preliminary net subsidy rate of 285.95 per cent, it said. Read more here.
 

(STR Trade Report)

While there are a number of potential issues on the congressional trade agenda this year, lawmakers are getting a slow start in moving them forward.

Countervailing Duties:

Legislation to explicitly allow the federal government to impose countervailing duties on goods imported from non-market economy countries like China is moving quickly through Congress. The bill must officially originate in the House, which approved it March 6, but the Senate gave its consent to an identical measure March 5. The bill will therefore be “deemed” passed by the Senate and sent to the White House, where President Obama is expected to sign it as soon as March 7.

The fast-moving bill is a response to a court ruling that the Department of Commerce does not have the authority to impose CV duties on goods imported from NME countries. In addition to pursuing legislation to negate that ruling, the Obama administration this week asked the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for a rehearing.

Read more here.
 

(Journal of Commerce Online – Joseph Bonney)

Errors in electronic data cost time and money, shippers say

Exporters are complaining about inaccuracies in ocean carriers’ electronic data that expose shippers to costs and delays.

Forwarder Mallory Group examined bills of lading on 1,100 randomly chosen cotton and paper shipments and found 20% of them had discrepancies in electronic data that required rehandling, said Donna Lemm, the Memphis-based forwarder’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re having to use time and energy and people and resources to do it two or three times to get it right,” Lemm said during a panel discussion at The Journal of Commerce’s 12th Annual Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference in Long Beach. Read more here.
 

(ST&R Trade report)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has extended through March 22 the public comment period on the proposed extension without change of the following information collections.

Form 3347, Declaration of Owner: Form 3347 is a declaration from the owner of imported merchandise stating that he/she agrees to pay additional or increased duties, therefore releasing the importer of record from paying such duties. The form must be filed within 90 days from the date of entry.

Form 3347A, Declaration of Consignee When Entry is Made by an Agent: When entry is made in a consignee’s name by an agent who has knowledge of the facts and is authorized under a proper power of attorney by that consignee, a declaration from the consignee on Form 3347A must be filed with the entry summary. If this declaration is filed, no bond to produce a declaration of the consignee is required.

Form 434, NAFTA Certificate of Origin: This form is used to certify that a good being exported either from the United States into Canada or Mexico or from Canada or Mexico into the United States qualifies as an originating good for purposes of preferential tariff treatment under NAFTA. This form is completed by exporters and/or producers and furnished to CBP upon request.

Form 446, NAFTA Verification of Origin Questionnaire: This is a questionnaire that CBP personnel use to gather sufficient information from exporters and/or producers to determine whether goods imported into the United States qualify as originating goods for the purposes of preferential tariff treatment under NAFTA.

Form 447, NAFTA Motor Vehicle Averaging Election: This form is provided to CBP when a manufacturer chooses to average motor vehicles for the purpose of obtaining NAFTA preference.