CBP Administrative Messages, Web Postings, Etc

1. HS Update Reflects Miscellaneous Trade Bill, Mango Fee Increase, Etc.

Changes required by the verification of the 2004 and 2005 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). (CBP notes that it will continue to verify the 2004 and 2005 HTS for the remainder of the year).

An increase in the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS') Mango fee, effective January 3, 2005.

Changes to the HTS mandated by HR 1047, the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004, effective December 18, 2004.

Changes to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) other government agency (OGA) flags.

The permit indicators associated with the beef export certificate, ATPDEA brassiere certificate, as well as the Canada and Mexico NAFTA TPL certificates.

CBP states that this update does not contain any update for the U.S.-Australia FTA.

CBP also states that updated records are currently available to all ABI participants and can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR). (Adm: 04-2575, dated 12/22/04, available at http://www.brokerpower.com/admmsgs/2004/04-2575.html).

2. CBP Issues Revised Informed Compliance Publication on Drawback

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a revised informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, "Drawback," which is part of its series "What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About:" This ICP contains the following sections: Background and Introduction, Specific Drawback Provisions, Penalties and Drawback Compliance Program, Drawback Recordkeeping, Published Rulings (Customs Service Decisions (CSDs) and Treasury Decisions (TDs)) on Drawback since 1978, and Additional Information. (See ITT's 03/07/98 news, (Ref:98030625), for BP summary of the first publication of this ICP in March 1998.) (Drawback ICP, revised December 2004, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/duty/icp023.ctt/icp023.pdf)

3. U.S. and India Sign Agreement to Improve Trade and Fight Criminal Activity

CBP has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. has signed an agreement with India that is designed to assist the two nations in preventing, investigating, and suppressing Customs offenses. The agreement, a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA), will allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CBP to exchange information, intelligence, and other data with India in order to enhance the enforcement of Customs laws. (CBP press release, dated 12/21/04, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/12212004.xml)

4. Textile and Apparel Critical List as of December 27, 2004

CBP has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of December 27, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) that are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 12/27/04, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)

5. Weekly Quota Commodity Report as of December 27, 2004

CBP has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of December 27, 2004. This report includes tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain JFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TRQs, etc. This report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, CBTPA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA tariff preference levels (TPLs) for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics under HTS 9902.51.11 & 9902.51.12, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report, dated 12/27/04, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)

6. Miscellaneous CBP Messages on AD and CV Duty Actions

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued messages on a number of antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty actions, many of which (marked by an * in the action column) were previously published in the Federal Register by the International Trade Administration (ITA) and summarized in International Trade Today.

(The CBP messages marked with an * cover much of the same information as the ITA notices; however, CBP's messages often list the 10-character case number specific to each listed company(s). ITA notices only list the 7-character master case number. In addition, sometimes the master case number for CBP purposes (in parentheses, below, where applicable) differs from the ITA master case number.)