The International Trade Commission (ITC) has released its report entitled the U.S. Oman Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected Sectoral Effects.
Customs duty
A customs duty is a tariff or tax which a country imposes on goods when they are transported across international borders. Customs Duties are used to protect countries' economies, residents, jobs, and environments, by limiting the flow of imported merchandise, especially restricted and prohibited goods, into the country. The Customs duty rate is a percentage determined by the value of the article purchased in the foreign country and not based on quality, size, or weight. U.S. customs duties are listed in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
In Xerox Corporation v. U.S., the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) ruled that the Court of International Trade (CIT) was correct in dismissing Xerox's protest of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) liquidation of 21 entries of electrostatic photocopiers and wire harnesses from Mexico, as Xerox did not timely file claims for NAFTA preferential treatment.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the fourth tranche of low-duty fiscal year (FY) 2006 refined sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) additional allocation did not oversubscribe at opening moment on January 24, 2006. As a result, all entries presented at opening have been charged and may be released. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/25/06 news, 06012545, for BP summary of the opening of the fourth tranche.)(QBT-06-511, dated 01/25/06, available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2006/06_511.ctt/06_511.doc.)
Recent CIT Rulings on Classification of Certain Tabletop Fountains and Incorrect Duty Rate in Ruling
Classification of certain tabletop fountains as pumps. In Conair Corporation v. U.S., the Court of International Trade (CIT) agreed with the importer and ruled that certain tabletop fountains known as "Serenity Ponds" are classifiable under HTS 8413.70.2004 as "submersible pumps," which are duty-free.
On December 22, 2005, President Bush issued Proclamation 7971 which amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and makes other changes in order to implement the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (MFTA).
According to a press release from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and USTR sources, duty-free benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program have been reinstated for Ukraine effective January 23, 2006.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on January 19, 2006, the U.S. and Oman signed the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the third traunche of low-duty fiscal year (FY) 2006 refined sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) did not oversubscribe at opening moment. As a result, all entries presented at opening have been charged and may be released. (QBT 06-508, dated 01/12/06, available at http://www.customs.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2006/06_508.ctt/06_508.doc.)
On January 11, 2006, President Bush signed into law H.R. 4340, the "U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act" (Act).
In the January 4, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBPBulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 2), CBP issued a notice proposing to modify one classification ruling and proposing to revoke two classification rulings on certain textile braids with metallic strip. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in this notice.