ITC Issues Revision 14 to 2018 Tariff Schedule, Amending GSP and Fruit Juice Provisions
The International Trade Commission issued Revision 14 to the 2018 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, implementing the removal of Generalized System of Preferences benefits for a lengthy list of products from certain countries as a result of the 2017-18 GSP review (see 1810300031). Changes include the replacement of special program indicator “A” with “A*” -- indicating GSP eligibility only when imported from certain countries -- for subheadings that are now GSP-ineligible when imported from countries that exceeded annual import limits. These ineligible country-product pairs are added to the burgeoning General Note 4(d) of the tariff schedule, which is now over twice as long as it was in previous years’ tariff schedules.
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Revision 14 also includes a new tariff breakout for cherry juice, as required to implement the newly declared ineligibility of cherry juice from Turkey for GSP benefits. Now-defunct subheading 2009.89.60 for “other” fruit juices, which included statistical breakouts for cherry, berry, mango and “other” juices, is removed. New subheading 2009.89.65 now covers cherry juice, with 2009.89.6511 providing for tart cherry juice concentrate and 2009.89.6590 providing for other cherry juice. New subheading 2009.89.70 replaces the removed 2009.89.60, with statistical breakouts remaining for berry juice (2009.89.7031 for blueberry, 2009.89.7055 for red raspberry and 2009.89.7065 for other berry), mango juice (2009.89.7070) and other fruit juices not elsewhere specified (2009.89.7091).
The ITC is also making several technical corrections in the new edition. Subheading 4401.39.4110 for sawdust is modified so it no longer says “not agglomerated” (the superior text specifically refers to agglomerated sawdust), effective Oct. 1. A carbon content requirement for round iron or steel wire of subheading 7217.10.80 is clarified to refer to 0.6 “percent” or more of carbon, effective Nov. 1. The duty rate for a special Miscellaneous Tariff Bill provision for tweezers at 9902.15.18 is corrected to 1.5%, effective Oct. 13. Finally, provisions in U.S. Note 20(g) to Subchapter III of Chapter 99, applying Section 301 duties to switching and routing apparatus, are amended so they now correctly refer to subheading 8517.62.0090 as exempt from Section 301 tariffs.