Clerical errors in a recently enacted law will increase duties on some outerwear apparel products unless Congress acts to fix them by December, according to trade lawyers and lobbyists. A section of the Trade Preferences Extension Act, which was signed into law in June, created new HTS subheadings for recreational performance outerwear, but specified the wrong duty rates for the new tariff lines. As a result, importers of certain water resistant apparel will see their duty liability change if the provisions take effect as scheduled on Dec. 28. Trade groups say there is already consensus on Capitol Hill that the errors need to be addressed, and fixes could be made in the upcoming Customs Reauthorization bill conference.
CBP updated the Automated Commercial Environment and Automated Commercial System to allow for Generalized System of Preference duty-free claims on July 29, the agency said in a CSMS message (here). The renewed GSP became effective on that date, meaning CBP is now accepting new GSP claims and will soon begin refund processing for GSP claims submitted after it expired in 2013 (see 1507210023).
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A Federal Register notice from CBP (here) details the plans for processing of Generalized System of Preferences refunds for eligible claims submitted while the program had lapsed. The notice includes much of the same information as released by the agency earlier this month (see 1507210023). The GSP reauthorization allows for retroactive benefits to be applied to eligible goods entered after July 31, 2013 through July 28. CBP plans to begin automated processing of GSP refunds on entries that included a GSP indicator "shortly after the effective date," which is July 29, it said. Duty-free treatment of GSP-eligible imports will also resume on July 29, CBP has said.
CBP will again allow for duty-free processing Generalized System of Preferences claims through the Automated Commercial Environment and Automated Commercial System beginning at 7 a.m. on July 29, the agency said. (here). The program was recently renewed after a multi-year lapse and CBP released guidance on procedures for past and future GSP claims (see 1507210023).
The U.S. International Trade Commission released its annual report on the previous year's trade-related activities, it said in a press release (here). The report (here) includes an overview of antidumping and countervailing duty, safeguard, intellectual property rights, and section 301 cases undertaken by the U.S. government in 2014. In addition, the report covers:
CBP outlined the agency's plans for refunding duties on entries eligible for Generalized System of Preferences treatment collected during the program's lapse. The agency answered some Frequently Asked Questions (here) and provided detailed information on the refund process (here). While some information on the GSP refund processing was previously released (see 1507200020), the agency hadn't released official guidance on the GSP renewal. The GSP reauthorization allows for retroactive benefits to be applied to eligible goods entered after July 31, 2013 through July 28.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative launched an out-of-cycle review on South African eligibility in the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The agency is asking for stakeholder comments. A USTR subcommittee will convene a hearing on South African beneficiary status on Aug. 7, and those that want to attend the hearing must contact USTR by Aug. 5. All pre-hearing briefs, statements or comments are also due on that date. The deadline for post-hearing materials is Aug. 12.
CBP will require that importers provide enough information to prove eligibility of some retroactive Generalized System of Preference (GSP) claims, said an agency spokeswoman. President Obama signed a renewal of GSP last month (see 1506290045) and the agency is in the process of developing a guidance for the industry (see 1507100012). "CBP is working on information and guidance to the importing community, which will be issued in the near future regarding the recent renewal of the GSP program by Congress," she said.
The International Trade Commission published notices in the July 16 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will be in another ITT article):