According to U.S. government sources, within the next week to ten days U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expected to begin documentation exams of certain entries of knit-to-shape garments in HTS 6110 which claim a country of origin other than China (i.e., that the garment's panels are knit-to-shape in a country other than China and then sent to China to be linked and looped).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of April 26, 2004. This report includes tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on various products such as beef, tuna, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa powder, tobacco, certain JFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TRQs, etc. This report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, CBTPA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA tariff preference levels (TPLs) for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics under HTS 9902.51.11 & 9902.51.12, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report dated 04/26/04, available at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and quota/commodity/)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message stating that the third 2003/2004 specialty sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) provided for in HTS Chapter 17, Additional U.S. Note (AUSN) 5 which opened on Monday, April 19, 2004, over-subscribed at opening moment. According to CBP, the pro rata percentage is 24.96% (.2496).
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued a notice requesting public comments by May 10, 2004 regarding a petition it received on behalf of Narroflex Inc.:
In the April 21, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 17), CBP issued notices: (a) modifying or revoking four classification rulings on glass-beaded artificial fruit and foliage, and (b) modifying a classification ruling on ink jet printer cartridges. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a proposed rule which would exempt any person who produces (as defined by AMS) and markets solely 100% organic products from paying assessments to any research and promotion program administered by AMS.
On April 1, 2004, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a first set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and responses regarding the mandatory advance electronic information requirements for inbound air cargo.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued two notices containing its determinations that, effective April 23, 2004, certain woven fabrics classified in HTS 5210.11 and in HTS 5513.11 and 5513.21, used in the production of women's and girls' blouses, cannot be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner under the U.S.-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an updated Industry Guidance which lists, and provides a written description for, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers that are flagged in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) entry system with imported food prior notice FD3 or FD4 indicators.
On April 21, 2004, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) published a notice denying a petition submitted by Oxford Industries, Inc., which had alleged that certain 100% cotton woven flannel fabrics, made from 21 through 36 NM single ring-spun yarns of different colors, classified in HTS 5208.43.00, of 2 X 1 twill weave construction, weighing not more than 200 grams per square meter, for use in apparel articles1, could not be supplied by the domestic industry in commercial quantities in a timely manner.