The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued an update on the potential withdrawal of certain tariff concessions by increasing general duty rates in the event the U.S. cannot reach agreement with the European Union (EU) for adequate compensation owed under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules as a result of the EU's enlargement in 2004.
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.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice announcing the disposition of the product petitions accepted for review in the 2004 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Annual Product Review (including self-initiated product reviews) and the results of the 2004 De Minimis Waiver and Redesignation Review.
On June 29, 2005, President Bush issued Proclamation 7912 in order to implement certain Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) changes effective July 1, 2005; restore suspended GSP benefits for a number of India or Pakistan articles; grant GSP benefits for the country of Serbia and Montenegro; implement certain North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules of origin changes; delineate certain Carribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) benefits for footwear; treat certain members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as one country for purposes of GSP, etc.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site an updated version of the 2005 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS) dated July 1, 2005 (Supplement 1).
In the June 29, 2005 and July 6, 2005 issues of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 27 and 28), CBP issued notices (a) proposing to revoke a classification ruling on steel step cans, and (b) proposing to modify a classification ruling on drawer pulls. 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 these notices.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice announcing that it has allocated the increases for the calendar year 2005 tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for the importation of two types of worsted wool fabrics at the in-quota (low) TRQ duty rate to qualifying U.S. makers of men's and boys' worsted wool suits, suit-type jackets, and trousers.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources, the duty- and quota-free Tariff Preference Level (TPL) for certain non-underwear T-shirts made in one or more USTR-listed U.S.-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) beneficiary countries and entered under HTS 9820.11.12 filled on June 23, 2005 at 9:56 a.m.
On June 29, 2005, President Bush issued Proclamation 7912 in order to implement certain Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) changes effective July 1, 2005; restore suspended GSP benefits for a number of India or Pakistan articles; grant GSP benefits for the country of Serbia and Montenegro; implement certain North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules of origin changes; delineate certain Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) benefits for footwear; treat certain members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) as one country for purposes of GSP, etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently issued a Customs Bulletin notice requesting written comments by July 29, 2005 on its proposal to limit the application of the court decisions in Park B. Smith Ltd. vs. U.S. (Park) to the specific cotton woven table linens and cotton woven dhurry rug entries before the courts in that litigation. (See ITT's Online Archives or 07/01/05 news, 05070110 for BP summary.)
On June 29, 2005, President Bush issued Proclamation 7912 to "modify duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences and certain rules of origin under the North American Free Trade Agreement, and for other purposes."