Getting an international playing field that is fair to U.S. trade is the key for American jobs and companies, should be the top priority for the second Obama administration, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a new report. It said the U.S. market is largely open to imports, but many other countries continue to levy steep tariffs on U.S. exports, and foreign governments have erected other barriers against U.S. goods and services.
The International Trade Commission is publishing notices in the Jan. 24 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will appear in another ITT article):
The International Trade Commission is asking for comments by March 4 in connection with the 2012 Annual Review of the Generalized System of Preferences. The ITC is considering the effects of adding four products to the list of articles eligible for GSP benefits, as well as competitive need limitation waivers on 12 Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings for certain countries. The ITC will hold a hearing in connection with its investigation on Feb. 27 in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Trade Representative sent a letter to the International Trade Commission requesting an investigation in connection with the 2012 Annual Review of the Generalized System of Preferences. The USTR requested inquiries into the economic effects of (1) designating four products eligible for GSP benefits; and (2) granting competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers for 12 products. The USTR asked for the results of the investigation by April 10.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seeks comment by Jan. 31 on whether to recommend that duty-free treatment for imports from Bangladesh under the Generalized Systems of Preferences be withdrawn, suspended or limited because Bangladesh isn't taking steps to give workers internationally recognized worker rights, specifically the rights of association and to organize and bargain collectively.
The International Trade Commission posted the 2013 edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, effective Jan. 1. The new HTS implements provisions detailed in Presidential Proclamation 8921, issued Dec. 20, including the removal of African Growth and Opportunity Act beneficiary treatment for Mali and Guinea-Bissau; modifies statistical suffixes throughout the HTS; and corrects and modifies provisions governing treatment of goods entered pursuant to various free trade agreements, to give them the intended tariff treatment.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced the disposition of a petition on pinch-seal plastic bags that were accepted in the 2011 GSP Annual Product Review. It also said those petitions submitted in connection with the 2012 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Product Review which have been accepted for further review and set the schedule for submitting comments and for public hearings associated with the 2012 review of petitions and products.
President Barack Obama added South Sudan as an African Growth and Opportunity Act beneficiary, and removed Mali and Guinea-Bissau as AGOA beneficiaries, in Presidential Proclamation 8921, signed Dec. 20. The proclamation also removes St. Kitts and Nevis as a Generalized System of Preferences beneficiary, extends duty-free treatment for some Israeli agricultural goods pursuant to the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (USIFTA), and makes technical corrections and conforming changes to Harmonized Tariff Schedule provisions for U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (USCFTA) rules of origin, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA), and GSP ineligible country-product pairs. Most of the HTS changes are effective Jan. 1.
In the Dec. 17-19 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) hopes to see movement on two major pieces of customs-related legislation by the end of the year, he said at the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium Nov. 27. Brady hopes to introduce a customs reauthorization bill this year and expects a miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) “shortly,” he said.