The International Trade Commission started an investigation titled “Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2015 Review,” per the U.S. Trade Representative's Dec. 30 request, to give advice and information relating to the “possible designation of articles, removal of articles, and waiver of competitive needs limitations,” it said (here). ITC will host a public hearing on the matter on Feb. 24. Hearing and comment submission deadlines are as follows:
The White House released a list of HTS subheadings for agricultural products that are set for suspension of African Growth Opportunity Act benefits when imported from South Africa (here). Included as Annex I to Presidential Proclamation 9388, the list includes various subheadings in HTS chapters 1-41. The suspension would be implemented by adding new SPI “D*” to the HTS, similar to the Generalized System of Preferences SPI “A*” for excluded products, and adding a new subdivision (c) to General Note 16 containing a list of product-country pairs ineligible for AGOA treatment. Currently, the list would include only South African agricultural products. The changes would not take effect until March 15. South Africa says it has resolved the underlying poultry dispute with the U.S., and President Barack Obama will revoke the HTS changes before they take effect (see 1601120033).
The Generalized System of Preferences Subcommittee of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) has accepted for review 23 petitions to add a product to the list of goods eligible for GSP duty-free treatment, three petitions to remove an item from GSP eligibility, and eight petitions to waive competitive needs limitations (CNLs), as part of its annual GSP product review, according to a notice published in the Federal Register Jan. 11 (here). Acceptance of the petitions indicates only that TPSC found that they warrant a review.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Dec. 28 - Jan. 3:
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for 2015 in case they were missed.
The International Trade Commission recently released the 2016 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (here). The new HTS implements a recent presidential proclamation that terminated benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act for Burundi (see 1512220025). Other changes include the addition of several new schedule B numbers for heavy fuel oils, the addition of new tariff numbers for veal and vaping liquids, and a lower duty rate for some wood flooring panels. Most changes took effect Jan. 1.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Nov. 30 - Dec. 4 in case they were missed.
Some CBP ports are now processing importer-requested refunds for Generalized System of Preferences treatment collected during the program's lapse, said CBP in a CSMS message (here). The handling of the GSP refund requests from importers started at individual ports that completed the first two phases of retroactive duty refunds of duties on GSP-eligible merchandise. Other than resubmissions of claims, CBP will deny any refund requests submitted after Dec. 28, it said.
The U.S. Trade Representative announced it will begin a country practices review of worker rights in Thailand to determine whether to suspend or curtail the country’s Generalized System of Preferences benefits as part of USTR’s 2015 GSP Review, it said in a notice (here). USTR also said it recently ended a country practices review of Philippines, also for worker rights, with no change to its GSP benefits. USTR will hold a hearing Jan 14-15 on its GSP country practice review of Thailand, as well as ongoing country practice reviews on Fiji (worker rights), Ecuador (arbitral awards), Georgia (worker rights), Iraq (worker rights), Iraq (worker rights), Niger (worker rights and child labor), and Uzbekistan (worker rights). Pre-hearing briefs and requests to appear at the hearing are due Jan. 4, and post-hearing briefs are due Feb. 12.
Some 19 products look set to exceed competitive need limitations (CNLs) for calendar year 2015 and lose their eligibility for duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences, said the U.S. Trade Representative as it announced the availability of new import data on Nov. 16 (here). The agency’s notice (here) also extended until Dec. 4 the deadline for submission of petitions to waive CNLs and keep those goods GSP-eligible. The deadline was originally Nov. 23 (see 1508180027). Products that may exceed CNL waivers in 2015 include the following: