CBP posted a document to its website that provides side-by-side comparisons of the following 18 U.S. free trade agreements and preferential trade programs: NAFTA; Chile (CFTA); Singapore (SFTA); Australia (AFTA); Israel (ILFTA); Jordan (JFTA); Bahrain (BFTA); Morocco (MFTA); Oman (OFTA); Central America-Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR); Peru (PTPA); Korea (UKFTA); Colombia (CTPA); Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA); Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA); Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA); and Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA).
CBP issued a CSMS message announcing the issuance of Harmonized System Update 1207 on changes to the 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). This update contains 1,432 ABI records and 302 harmonized tariff records. Changes required by Presidential Proclamation 8840, To Modify Duty Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences, and for Other Purposes, effective July 1, are included as well. This proclamation is (here).
President Obama issued Proclamation 8840 which, among other things, implements changes to the Generalized System of Preferences and the World Trade Organization Information Technology Agreement. Details of changes follow:
The Office of U.S. Trade Representative closed the Generalized System of Preferences country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits, said USTR Ron Kirk. The AFL-CIO had filed a petition in 2008 alleging shortcomings in Sri Lanka’s recognition of worker rights. Kirk noted “the Sri Lankan government’s noteworthy efforts over the past few years to address the worker rights issues outlined in the GSP petition.” Among the steps, USTR said, are making progress in initiating, investigating and resolving unfair labor practices cases; establishing trade union facilitation centers in each of the three largest Economic Processing Zones; improving procedures for conducting union certifications; and enacting legislation to increase the fines for labor practices violations.
U.S. trade with the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) was virtually unchanged in 2011, falling less than 0.1 percent following rapid growth of 34 percent in 2010, despite the exit of Peru from the program at the beginning of the year, and the lapse in the program from February 12, 2011, through October 21, 2011, according to the report on ATPA released June 30 by the U.S. Trade Representative.
President Barack Obama said seven cotton fiber products should be added to the list of those eligible for duty-free treatment under the program when imported from least developed country beneficiaries, in the Administration’s 2011 Annual Review under the Generalized System of Preferences program. Adding the products implements one element of the LDC trade initiatives that the Office of U.S. Trade Representative announced at the December 2011 World Trade Organization Ministerial, said USTR Ron Kirk.
The International Trade Commission issued Supplement 1 to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule which, among other things, (1) implements the President’s upcoming proclamation “To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences, and for Other Purposes”; and (2) makes changes approved by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules (formulated pursuant to section 484(f), Tariff Act of 1930, as amended). These changes are effective July 1. Details follow:
President Barack Obama proclaimed Gibraltar and the Turks and Caicos Islands to be be "high income" countries for purposes of the Generalized System of Preferences, both effective Jan. 1, 2014. He also said the Republic of Senegal should be designated a least-developed country for purposes of the GSP.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin retroactive billing for merchandise entered between October 1 and November 4, 2011, with the increased merchandise processing fee, said CBP in a June 15 CSMS message. The billing will be done by the CBP Office of International Trade, said CBP. CBP said it began the scripting of liquidate entries last week and expects to liquidate approximately 20,000 entries per week but doesn't have an estimated completion date.
The International Trade Commission released a public version of its confidential report on the probable economic effect of possible modifications to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which provides duty-free treatment for specified U.S. imports from certain developing countries. The confidential version of the report, “Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2011 Review of Additions and Competitive Need Limitation Waivers,” was submitted to the U.S. Trade Representative May 14. The public version censors the ITC’s advice on each modification.