Recent CBP NY Rulings
The following are short summaries of recent CBP “NY” rulings issued by the agency's National Commodity Specialist Division in New York:
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N318595: The tariff classification of a jute placemat and table runner from China
| HTS: 6302.59.3020, 8.8%, “Bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen: Other table linen: Of other textile materials: Other: Other.” Secondary classification: 9903.88.15, 7.5%. |
| Item: A rectangular placemat and table runner, both made of 100 percent jute woven fabric. The warp and weft yarns form a repeating diamond design resulting from weaving 2-ply natural yarns and 2-ply black yarns. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318544: The country of origin of electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes
| Origin: France |
| Item: ECG cutaneous electrodes, composed of electrically conductive hydrogel (electrogel), a PE foam, a top label (gives strength to the electrode and displays Medline logos), a top button (attachment point for a wire lead), a bottom button and a PET plastic backing sheet (the electrode is removed from the backing sheet to expose the hydrogel in use). All the materials are produced in China except for the electrogel, which is made in France. |
| Reason: The assembly process in China consists of the mechanized lamination of the printed label, foam backing, hydrogel layering, the mechanical stamping to attach the electrode buttons, followed by the die cutting of the sheets into individual electrodes and the rolling of the finished electrodes onto the PET backing sheets. The assembly operations are relatively simple and minor, involving highly repetitive low-skill functions. The hydrogel is not substantially transformed in China by the layering process and imparts the essential character of the ECG cutaneous electrodes. |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318528: The tariff classification of a woman’s top from China
| HTS: 6211.42.1081, 8.1%, "Track suits, ski-suits and swimwear; other garments: Other garments, women’s or girls’: Of cotton: Other: Other." Secondary classification: 9903.88.15, 7.5%. |
| Item: A woman’s pullover-style top constructed from 100% cotton woven fabric. The sleeveless garment features a scoop front neckline, spaghetti straps at the shoulders, and a hemmed bottom. The back of the garment extends straight across from side seam to side seam, exposing the upper half of the back. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318510: The tariff classification of a steel hitch pin from China
| HTS: 7318.29.0000, 2.8%, "Screws, bolts, nuts, coach screws, screw hooks, rivets, cotters, cotter pins, washers (including spring washers) and similar articles, of iron or steel: Non-threaded articles: Other." Secondary classification: 9903.88.03, 25%. |
| Item: A hitch pin assembly, consisting of a non-threaded metal hitch pin, a wire rope lanyard, a metal retainer, and a hairpin-style cotter. The hitch pin will be used with agricultural tractors and construction equipment. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318496: The tariff classification of metallized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mailer bags from China
| HTS: 3923.29.0000, 3%, "Articles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastic: sacks and bags: of other plastics." Secondary classification: 9903.88.03, 25%. |
| Item: A bubble mailer bag, constructed of an inner layer of polyethylene bubble sheet and an outer layer of metallized polyethylene terephalate. The bags have a self-adhesive seal strip to allow for secure closure. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318436: The tariff classification of a “Wrap-It™ Storage Strap” from China
| HTS: 6307.90.9891, 7%, “Other made up articles, including dress patterns: Other: Other: Other: Other: Other.” Secondary classification: 9903.88.15, 7.5%. |
| Item: A hook and loop self-gripping strap designed and intended to be used to organize cords. The “hook” side of the strap is made up of 100 percent polypropylene. The reverse side is made up from 100 percent nylon woven pile fabric. The two fabrics are glued together and cut to shape to form the strap. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318358: The tariff classification of Colestipol Hydrochloride Tablets in dosage form, from India
| HTS: 3004.90.9220, free, “Medicaments … consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses … or in forms or packings for retail sale: Other: Other: Other: Cardiovascular medicaments.” |
| Colestipol Hydrochloride, imported in 1000 mg tablets, as a bile acid sequestrant. It is indicated as adjunctive therapy to diet for the reduction of elevated serum total and LDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (elevated LDL-C) who do not respond adequately to diet. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N316110: The tariff classification of a Mini Plasmid Isolation Kit from India
| HTS: 3824.99.9297, 5%, "Prepared binders for foundry molds or cores; chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries (including those consisting of mixtures of natural products), not elsewhere specified or included: Other: Other: Other." |
| Item: A Mini Plasmid Isolation Kit, used to efficiently extract and purify plasmid DNA from bacteria |
| Reason: The kit is used to extract and purify bacterial DNA using an adsorption chromatography process, a fundamentally physical application versus a specific chemical reaction. |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N315768: The tariff classification of a glass tea mug and plastic infuser from China
| HTS: 3924.10.4000, 3.4%, “Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plastics: Tableware and kitchenware: Other.” |
| Item: A glass tea mug and infuser, consisting of a glass mug, plastic infuser, and a plastic lid. |
| Reason: The glass mug performs the subordinate role of holding the tea. The plastic infuser and the plastic lid perform the primary role of allowing loose tea leaves to be placed inside the infuser and to brew the hot tea. Therefore, the essential character of the glass tea mug and infuser are the plastic components. |
| Ruling Date: April 15, 2021 |
N318864: The tariff classification of a pillowcase and sheet set from China
| HTS: Pillowcase imported alone: 6302.32.2020, 11.4% “Bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen: Other bed linen: Of man-made fibers: Other: Pillowcases, other than bolster cases: Not napped.” Sheet set: 6302.22.2020, 11.4%, “Bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen: Other bed linen, printed: Of man-made fibers: Other: Sheets." |
| Item: A standard pillowcase constructed from 100% polyester woven fabric. The fabric is neither printed nor napped. The pillowcase is sometimes imported as part of a sheet set consisting of a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and two standard size pillowcases. The flat and fitted sheets are constructed from 100% polyester, not napped, printed, woven fabric. |
| Reason: The essential character of the set is imparted by the printed components. |
| Ruling Date: April 16, 2021 |