CBP has updated its FAQ on Section 232 tariffs for aluminum and steel on its website, addressing certain elements of the tariffs that the trade community has been grappling with, particularly on determining the value of new steel and aluminum derivatives outside of chapters 73 and 76 (see 2503140059.
National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones Chair Shannon Fura, a founder of Chicago law firm Page Fura, said the language in President Donald Trump's recent executive orders creating new tariffs, which say that goods must pay tariffs before entering FTZs, "are handcuffing some of the benefits" that FTZs are designed to provide.
CBP has updated a list that provides all the recommendations passed by the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC). The list includes recommendations offered since the 14th term meeting in April 2016.
CBP on March 19 released guidance on 10% tariffs on Canadian energy goods in the form of a spreadsheet that lists commodities and their respective tariff subheadings that could be subject to the additional 10% tariff, rather than the 25% tariff applicable to other non-USMCA Canadian goods. Attached to a CSMS message, the spreadsheet includes not only petroleum products, uranium, coal and biofuels, but also rare earths covered by the 10% tariffs and metals of chapters 72, 73 and 76 that are alloyed with rare earths, among other things.
Nearly 750 organizations and businesses gave input to the administration on trade barriers or subsidies that prevent them from reaching their sales potential.
CBP will very soon release a FAQ on some outstanding issues related to complying with the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum derivatives, particularly derivatives outside of chapters 73 and 76 (see 2503140059), according to a CBP official speaking during CBP's bi-weekly ACE trade support call.
A domestic producer recently filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on plastic boxes imported from China and Vietnam. Commerce now will decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. CoolSeal USA Inc., Inteplast Group Corporation, SeaCa Plastic Packaging, and Technology Container Corporation requested the investigation.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 10-16:
Even Flexport's advisors are stumped over how exactly to declare a value for the aluminum or steel content for affected derivative products (see 2503140059), based on comments made during a webinar hosted by the company March 18.
Associations' views diverged widely on the wisdom of codifying a modified Type 86 process and tweaking the clear-from-the-manifest process for de minimis entries. Groups also disagreed on CBP's proposals for what new data should be submitted. The agency received 95 comments on its proposal, though dozens were from individuals and didn't make substantive suggestions. Some associations and companies addressed both this proposed rule and the one that would carve out sections 301 and 232 goods from de minimis. The comment period for that rule closes March 24.