The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said import statistics are available for the first eight months of 2012 relating to competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. The statistics identify some articles for which the 2012 trade levels may exceed statutory CNLs, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Nov. 6. USTR said parties may want to use the information in deciding whether to submit a petition to waive the CNLs for individual beneficiary developing countries (BDCs) with respect to specific GSP-eligible articles. The deadline for submitting product petitions to waive the CNLs for individual BDCs with respect to GSP-eligible articles is 5 p.m., Nov. 21. The interim import statistics for the first eight months of 2012 relating to CNLs are (here). Full calendar-year 2012 data for individual tariff subheadings will be available in February 2013 at http://dataweb.usitc.gov/. USTR said the following products met the criteria to be placed on the list:
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases Oct. 31-November 1 (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
The International Trade Commission posted Revision 1 to Supplement 1 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to implement the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, and correct and modify other tariff provisions. The new HTS is effective Oct. 31. The proclamation and annexes have not been published yet, so effective dates for many of the revisions are unknown.
The EU revised its import preference system, known as the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP), for developing countries most in need, the European Commission said Oct. 31. The GSP is intended to help developing countries by making it easier to export their products to the EU, it said. The document sets out specific tariff preferences granted under the GSP in the form of reduced or zero tariff rates, as well as the final criteria under which developing economies will benefit, it said.
In the Oct 27-29, 2012 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
President Barack Obama issued a proclamation Oct. 30 formally implementing the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement. The government had previously said the agreement would take effect Oct. 31. (See ITT's Online Archives 12102225). International Trade Commission Publication 4349, which will detail changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule authorized by the President’s proclamation, has not yet been released. International Trade Today will provide a detailed summary of the changes upon the Publication’s availability. The proclamation did, however, delegate authority for textile and apparel safeguard and commercial availability provisions of the U.S.-Panama TPA, and previewed the HTS changes that will be coming in ITC Publication 4349.
CBP provided an outline of system requirements for filing claims under the Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA).
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases Oct. 3-4 (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is changing the hearing date and related deadlines for the Country Practice Petitions Accepted as Part of the 2011 Annual Generalized System of Preferences Review, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Aug. 16. The new dates are:
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it's prepared to receive petitions to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. USTR said it's also prepared to receive petitions requesting waivers of competitive need limitations (CNLs). GSP petitions must be received by the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee by 5 p.m. Oct. 5, and CNL petitions by 5 p.m. Nov. 21, it said. GSP petitions may be to: designate additional articles as eligible for GSP benefits, including to designate articles as eligible for GSP benefits only if imported from countries designated as least-developed beneficiary developing countries, or only from countries designated as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) withdraw, suspend or limit the application of duty-free treatment accorded under the GSP with respect to any article; waive the CNL for individual beneficiary developing countries with respect to specific GSP-eligible articles (these limits do not apply to least-developed beneficiary developing countries or AGOA beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries); or otherwise modify GSP coverage. Further information: Tameka Cooper, 202-395-6971 or Tameka_Cooper@ustr.eop.gov.