CBP Proposes NAFTA Preference Rules Change

CBP is considering regulatory changes meant to allow for some spices and other food products to receive preferential treatment under NAFTA, it said in a notice (here). "Contrary to the intentions of the NAFTA parties," such products "are not receiving NAFTA preferential tariff treatment when imported into the United States from Canada or Mexico because they do not qualify to be marked as goods of Canada or Mexico under the NAFTA Marking Rules," it said. CBP seeks to resolve this issue by allowing "the NAFTA preference override to apply to these specific goods," it said. That change "will give effect to the intentions of the NAFTA parties by extending NAFTA preferential tariff treatment to certain goods imported from Canada and Mexico that, under the liberalized rules of origin in General Note 12(t), are considered NAFTA originating as a result of minor processing operations," the agency said. Comments are due Sept. 9.