GHY Tradelines

(CBP)

Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1202 was created on March 15, 2012 and contains 11,6214 ABI records and 23,379 harmonized tariff records.

Modifications include those mandated by the U.S. Korea Free Trade Agreement, effective March 15, 2012. These changes can be found on the United States International Trade Commission’s website here.

Adjustments required by the authentication of the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) are included.

The modified records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. For all other questions regarding this message, please contact Jennifer Keeling via email at Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
 

(CBP)

Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1201 was created on January 23, 2012 and contains 9,350 ABI records and 2,155 harmonized tariff records.

Amendments include Modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under Section 1206 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. USITC Publication 4276 (Annex to Presidential Proclamation) signed December 29, 2011, can be found here (126 pages)

Adjustments required by the authentication of the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) are also included.

The modified records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. For all other questions regarding this message, please contact Jennifer Keeling via email at Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
 

(Journal of Commerce Online – R.G.Edmonson)

Changes align U.S system with WTO-recommended international tariff code 

Importers and exporters are getting their first look at the revised U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule after changes were released through a presidential proclamation on Wednesday.

Changes to the HTS, the standard code used to classify goods for the purpose of revenue collection, aligns the U.S. system with the international tariff code recommended by the World Customs Organization, said Dave Back, director of tariff affairs for the U.S. International Trade Commission, said that the changes align the U.S. system

Although the tariff tables look the same at first glance, there are 130 pages of amendments, he said. The revisions have been under way for two years, but the agency could not release them until Wednesday’s proclamation.  “We’ve been getting calls about this for months,” Back said.

Reference: USITC Publication 4276 (Annex to Presidential Proclamation). Also see USITC HTS page.
 

(CBP)

Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1108 was created on December 20, 2011 and contains 577 ABI records and 118 harmonized tariff records.

Changes were made as a result of the 484 (F) Committee. The Committee for the Statistical Annotation of the Tariff Schedules mandated modifications effective January 1, 2012.

As always, these changes will be included in the 2012 USHTS. However, at this time, please contact your client representative for questions regarding specific records.

Adjustments required by the verification of the 2011 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) were made as well.

The modified records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. For all other questions regarding this message, please contact Jennifer Keeling via email at Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.

(World Trade Interactive)

In the Aug. 24, 2011, Customs Bulletin and Decisions, U.S. Customs and Border Protection proposed to revoke or modify the following classification rulings. Comments are due by Sept. 23.

Product: Trunk/cab organizers
Proposed action: Revocation of NY K84392 and NY J86790.
Current classification: HTSUS 8708.29.5060, other parts and accessories of motor vehicle bodies (2.5% duty).
Proposed classification: HTSUS 4202.92.90, other cases with outer surface of sheeting of plastic or of textile materials (17.6% duty).

Product: Four-wheeled, self-propelled vehicle used to haul materials in factories, warehouses, golf courses and sports fields
Proposed action: Revocation of NY N129146.
Current classification: HTSUS 8704.21.0000, other motor vehicles for the transport of goods (25% duty).
Proposed classification: HTSUS 8709.19.00, other works trucks of the type used in factories, warehouses, dock areas or airports for short distance transport of goods (duty-free).

Product: Raw, shelled (hulled) pumpkin seed kernels that are not roasted, prepared or preserved
Proposed action: Revocation of HQ 954648, NY 885798, NY C81606, NY C80043, NY 856226, HQ 958495, HQ 955091 and HQ 954317.
Current classification: HTSUS 1209.91.8080, other vegetable seeds, or 1209.91.8055, pumpkin seeds (1.5 cents/kg duty rate for both).
Proposed classification: HTSUS 1212.99.91, other vegetable products of a kind used primarily for human consumption (duty-free).

Product: Azithromycin
Proposed action: Modification of NY C88143 and F86114.
Current classification: HTSUS 2941.50.00, erythromycin and its derivatives; salts thereof (duty-free).
Proposed classification: HTSUS 2941.90.50, other antibiotics (duty-free).

Also in the Aug. 24, 2011, Customs Bulletin and Decisions, CBP revoked or modified the following rulings, effective Oct. 24.

Product: Polyphenlyene sulfide
Action: Revocation of NY N027045.
New ruling: HQ H110997.
New classification: HTSUS 3911.90.25, other thermoplastic polysulfides (6.1% duty).

Product: Battery-operated plush turtle with lights
Action: Revocation of NY L83764.
New ruling: HQ H128417.
New classification: HTSUS 9503.00.00, other toys (duty-free).

Product: Motorized utility vehicles for use airports and hangars, manufacturing and maintenance yards, landscaping, golf course and facility maintenance, security, food service delivery, and athletic applications such as moving around equipment and personnel
Action: Revocation of HQ 965246, HQ 964598 and NY H87834.
New ruling: HQ W968312 and HQ W968313.
New classification: HTSUS 8704.31.00, motor vehicles for the transport of goods (25% duty).

Product: Beverage dispensers
Action: Revocation of NY N025129, NY R03851, NY N016275, NY I82366, NY R04997 and NY L89010.
New ruling: HQ H044960, HQ H044958, HQ H044956, HQ H044957, HQ H058924 and HQ H044959.
New classification: HTSUS 6912.00.48, other ceramic tableware and kitchenware (9.8% duty), or 3926.90.99, other articles of plastics (5.3% duty).

Product: Monoclonal antibody medicaments
Action: Modification of NY K83806 and NY K83509 and revocation of NY K86861 and NY H85059.
New ruling: HQ H110421, HQ H110420, HQ H110419 and HQ H128157.
New classification: HTSUS 3002.10.01, antisera and other blood fractions and modified immunological products (duty-free).

Product: Pants or shorts imported with belts
Action: Modification of NY K80820, NY N013984, NY N019427 and NY N118184.
New ruling: HQ H135360, HQ H135361 and HQ H141201.
New determination: Goods qualify for preferential tariff treatment under General Note 3(a)(v) or the free trade agreements with Jordan or Israel because they are a composite good, the origin of which is determined by the component that determines classification.

(CBP)

The Office of International Trade is issuing a blanket authorization for Immediate Delivery (ID) procedures for merchandise to be released on or after December 16, 2010 and until December 31, 2010, in accordance with 19 CFR 142.21(i). The authorization is offered to filers who may want to take advantage of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule changes, which take effect on or after January 1, 2011.

This blanket authorization does not apply to absolute quota merchandise and merchandise moved under an immediate transportation entry (type 61). Tariff rate quota merchandise previously authorized for ID release under 19 CFR 142.21(e) may still be released under ID; however, the entry summary shall be presented within the time specified in 19 CFR 142.23, or within the quota period, whichever expires first.

In those instances where the paper CBP Form 3461/CBP Form 3461(ALT) is used as the entry document and importers wish to elect ID, a line must be drawn through the word “ENTRY” on the document. ABI entry transmissions, including the “paperless” provisional message, will establish the desired entry date by using the estimated entry date in the summary transmission (“EI” transmission). This will identify the change from “Entry” to “Immediate Delivery” and will allow filers to elect a date of entry in order to take advantage of tariff changes or special programs. Under ID procedures, the Entry/Entry Summary must be filed within 10 working days after release. This blanket authority extends to shipments released December 16, 2010 through December 31, 2010 only. No grace period will be granted for the purpose of timely filing ID entry summaries under this one-time allowance.

Questions regarding this policy should be addressed to Ms. Laurie Dempsey, Chief, Entry, Summary and Drawback Management at (202) 863-6509.

(World Trade Interactive)

The International Trade Commission will make additional recommendations on the addition of new subheadings in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. for certain footwear.

On Aug. 9, the ITC submitted to the president a report with its recommendations on the addition of an Additional U.S. Note and the amendment of certain classification provisions in HTSUS Chapter 64 relating to certain footwear featuring outer soles of rubber or plastic to which a layer of textile material has been added. These changes would reflect decisions of the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System Committee on the classification of particular footwear. The president subsequently submitted a report containing the ITC’s recommendations to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees for their review.

On Nov. 8, however, the ITC received a letter from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative requesting that it make further recommendations, based on new submissions to be filed by interested parties relating to entries liquidated prior to the ITC initiation of this investigation on April 13, on the appropriateness of inserting new tariff lines under HTSUS 6404.11 and 6404.19 in addition to those already recommended. USTR noted that while the ITC’s August report correctly included descriptions specifying that footwear falling under certain new tariff lines under current HTSUS 6404.11 and 6404.19 feature uppers of textile material other than vegetable fibers, because these descriptions appeared for the first time in the final report interested parties may not have recognized the need to submit information on the tariff classification and rate of duty applied to imports in liquidated and undisputed entries of other footwear (e.g., having uppers of manmade fibers) falling into these new subheadings so that the ITC could maintain tariff rate neutrality in making its recommendation. Read more here.

span style=”font-size:85%;”(CBP)/spanbr /br /Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1001 was created on February 2, 2010 and contains 5,359 ABI records and 712 harmonized tariff records.br /br /This update contains changes made as a result of the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules, the 484(F) Committee.br /br /strongBackground:br //strongbr /CBP programmed in ABI the changes to the HTS that were approved by the 484(f) Committee and went into effect on 01/01/10. Among the changes approved by the 484(f) Committee was a request by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) to report milk solids content of dairy products in the kilogram unit of measure. Dairy related tariff numbers were modified to include an additional reporting unit of measure indicating ‘CKG’ (Content in Kilograms). The ‘CKG’ indication referred to the weight in kilograms associated with the milk solids content.br /br /On January 27, 2010, the 484(f) Committee met once again and per their request, CBP removed these units of quantities from the affected records. The unit of quantity change is effective March 1, 2010, and the newly amended records are included in this update.br /br /In addition, tariff changes associated with Annex II of the Jordan Free Trade Agreement, that included additional tariff numbers eligible for the Jordan Free Trade Agreement were made, effective January 1, 2010.br /br /Finally, this update contains changes required by the verification of the 2010 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).br /br /The modified records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. For all other questions regarding this message, please contact Jennifer Keeling via email at a href=”mailto:Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov”Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov/a.

span style=”font-size:85%;”(CBP)/spanbr /br /The NAFTA Track III liberalizations and the NAFTA specific rule of origin changes to comply with the 2007 and subsequent years’ HTSUS were implemented in the U.S. for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse on or after October 2, 2009.br /br /A memorandum to this effect and the accompanying presidential proclamation and Annex, including the specific rule of origin modifications, are posted a href=”http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/international_agreements/free_trade/nafta/rules_of_origin/”here/a.br /br /They can also be referenced by typing “NAFTA liberalization” into the a href=”http://www.cbp.gov/” target=”_blank”http://www.cbp.gov/a search box.

span style=”font-size:85%;”(CSCB)/spanbr /br /The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today released its new HTS Online Reference Tool, a comprehensive website for users of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).br /br /The ITC is mandated by Congress to maintain the HTS, which provides the tariff rates and statistical categories for all merchandise imported into the United States. The tariff schedule is a vital tool for importers, customs brokers, carriers, the government, and the public.br /br /The new HTS Online Reference Tool provides a web-based source for HTS-related information and offers current, accurate, and user-friendly electronic access to the 3,000-page HTS.br /br /The HTS Online Reference Tool features direct links to:br /br /• classification rulings by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) users will be able to jump directly from a specific HTS item to the Customs Ruling Online Search System (CROSS) for determinations on product classification for that HTS item, and users will be able to access the most current ruling for any product;br /br /• HTS Chapter 99, enabling users to move from an HTS item in chapters 1-97 to the temporary, seasonal, or special situation tariff that applies for that item as listed in chapter 99; andbr /br /• footnotes, allowing users to move from the footnote number in the text directly to the footnote itself. In addition, users can now search the HTS by word, word combinations, or HTS number, and they can use common terminology to do so. The HTS Online Reference Tool includes an expanding thesaurus that will help users search the HTS and locate an item even if they don’t know the precise classification language used in the document. For example, users will be able to search the word “cars,” which does not exist in the HTS, and be directed automatically to the HTS provisions covering “motor vehicles.” The thesaurus is in its early stages and will be enriched continually to reflect common terminology if a user searches on a term that is not currently included, that term will be added to the thesaurus. Over time, this regular updating will result in a rich, complex search engine that will make the HTS Online Reference Tool even more user-friendly.br /br /“We’re excited to bring this comprehensive HTS tool to the trade community and the public,” said ITC Chairman Shara L. Aranoff. “The HTS Online Reference tool has been well-received by our colleagues at Customs as well as customs brokers and other users who have seen it demonstrated. It meets a long-standing need for easier, electronic access to the HTS, and we look forward to user review and input to keep it as useful and up-to-date as possible.”br /br /Built by the ITC, the system is still evolving. Future enhancements include electronic access to the complete legal text and notes of the HTS and the ability for the ITC and CBP to convert the HTS to formats necessary for computerized operations at the borders and elsewhere.br /br /The ITC’s HTS Online Reference Tool can be found at a href=”http://hts.usitc.gov/” target=”_blank”http://hts.usitc.gov/a.

span style=”font-size:85%;”(CBP)/spanbr /br /Harmonized System Update (HSU) 0806 was created on December 9, 2008.br /br /• This update contains 46,415 ABI records and 7,417 harmonized tariff records.br /br /• This update includes changes made as a result of the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules, the 484(F)Committee.br /br /• In addition, this update contains the annual staged rate reductions for 2009.br /br /• Cotton fee adjustments mandated by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are included as well.br /br /• Finally, this update may also contain changes required by the verification of the 2008 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).br /br /The updated records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. For further information about this process, please contact your client representative. For all other questions regarding this message, please contact Jennifer Keeling at (703) 650-3391 or via email at a href=”mailto:Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov”Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov/a.