CBP plans to begin issuing refunds on duties paid on Generalized System of Preferences qualifying goods while the program was lapsed "shortly after" April 22, the agency said on its website. President Donald Trump signed GSP renewal into law on March 23 (see 1803230028) and it will take effect on April 22, the U.S. Trade Representative said. Importers must file refund requests by Sept. 19, USTR said.
Parties that wish to add to or remove products from the Generalized System of Preferences, change the GSP status of beneficiary countries, waive competitive need limitations, or oppose de minimis waivers must file their petitions with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative by midnight on April 16, the agency said in a notice. If an importer is interested in retaining GSP status for a product on the de minimis list -- a product for which total imports from all countries did not exceed $23.5 million in 2017 -- the importer does not need to make a request for a waiver. However, parties that wish to contest a de minimis waiver should do so at regulations.gov.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 26-30 in case they were missed.
An importer may retroactively claim Generalized System of Preferences benefits on entries it originally misclassified in a subheading not eligible for GSP, and may do so in a latter responding to the CBP notice of action pointing out that misclassification, CBP said in a recent ruling. At agency headquarters on a request for further review, CBP directed its Port of Houston in HQ H291254 to grant Seatex’s protest and allow the importer GSP benefits for entries during the 2013-15 GSP lapse.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 19-23 in case they were missed.
The International Trade Commission on March 23 issued Revision 2 to the 2018 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The main reason for the update was to implement new Section 232 tariffs on aluminum and steel products (see 1803230060). The ITC also made technical corrections and changes related to recently imposed Section 201 safeguard duties on solar cells and residential washers. The changes, most of which took effect March 23, are as follows:
The spending bill that covers the rest of the fiscal year, through Sept. 30, became law March 23, bringing with it a renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences (see 1803010003). At the bill-signing news conference, President Donald Trump railed against the omnibus, saying, "there are a lot of things I'm unhappy about in this bill. I will never sign another bill like this again."
Omnibus government spending legislation that includes provisions to renew the Generalized System of Preferences was passed in the House, the House Committee on Appropriations said in a March 22 news release. The GSP tariff reductions will apply to articles entered on and after the 30th day after the omnibus is enacted. The Senate is expected to pass the bill March 23 or 24. However, the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, which House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, had said should go on the omnibus, was not included. The MTB expired in 2012, and covers intermediate inputs for manufacturers that are not available domestically. Many in Washington have low expectations for legislative action in the Senate until after the November elections.
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum March 22 instructing the U.S. Trade Representative to ready a list of goods imported from China that will be subject to tariffs because of that country's policies of forced technology transfer, forced joint ventures, intellectual property theft and technology licensing restrictions.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 12-18: