ITC Requests Proposals to Amend the International HS in 2012 (to Also Affect U.S. Tariff Schedule)
The International Trade Commission (ITC) is soliciting proposals from interested parties and agencies by October 14, 2005 to amend the international Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System, HS), including the rules of interpretation, section and chapter notes and the texts of the headings and subheadings, with a view to keeping the HS current with changes in technology and trade patterns.
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Results of fourth HS review cycle expected to take effect January 2012. The ITC states that specific proposals will be reviewed by the ITC staff for potential submission to the World Customs Organization (WCO). The WCO's HS Review Subcommittee (RSC) began a series of reviews of the entire HS in 1988. The fourth review cycle begins in 2005, with an expected implementation date for changes of January 2012, for the U.S. and other WCO members.
U.S. to align HTS to international HS changes. The ITC states that changes in the international HS that will result from this review cycle will not necessarily affect tariff rates for products imported into the U.S.; as with the first three HS review cycles, the ITC plans to eventually develop a set of proposed Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) changes that will align the HTS to the international HS changes.
ITC invites proposals concerning deletion of headings/subheadings, identification of new products, and simplification. The ITC states that interested parties, associations, and government agencies should submit specific language for proposed amendments to the HS together with appropriate descriptive comments and, to the extent available, trade data.
As part of this review, the ITC particularly invites proposals concerning the following matters:
The deletion of HS headings or subheadings with low trade volume;
The identification of new products important in international trade; and
The simplification of the HS (e.g., by the elimination of classification provisions which are difficult to administer).
ITC will not consider proposals for changes to national-level provisions. The ITC notes that no proposals for changes to the national-level provisions (which include U.S. 8-digit subheadings, statistical annotations, and rates of duty) will be considered by the ITC as part of this review.
Results of third HS review cycle, expected to take effect January 2007, should be reviewed. In March 2005, the ITC issued its report on proposed changes1 to the HTS for January 2007 as a result of the RSC's third HS review. According to ITC sources, interested parties should review the changes proposed as a result of the RSC's third review before submitting proposals for changes under the fourth review.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 04/26/05 and 04/25/05 news, 05042610 and 05042505, for BP summaries of ITC report on proposed HTS changes for 2007 as a result of the RSC's third review, which are scheduled to take effect in January 2007.)
1 ITC sources state that the modifications in the report are considered "proposed" because the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative may make changes to the modifications contained in the ITC's report as a result of negotiations, etc.
- written submissions due by October 14, 2005
ITC contact - David Beck (202) 205-2595
ITC notice (FR Pub 08/29/05) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-17057.pdf.