CBP CROSS Rulings

In the December 20, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 52), CBP published a notice proposing to revoke two classification rulings as follows:

The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site the Harmonized Tariff Schedule changes - at the full 10-digit level -as well as any new or amended notes or headings - that are being implemented to conform U.S. law to international Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature changes recommended for adoption by the World Customs Organization (WCO), and to certain Harmonized System Committee (HSC) decisions necessary to ensure uniform application of the nomenclature, etc.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a final rule, effective December 18, 2006, which amends 7 CFR Part 319 in order to list a number of fruits and vegetables from certain parts of the world as eligible, under specified conditions, for importation into the U.S.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice to its Web site inviting importers, brokers, carriers, and ABI software developers and self programmers to attend the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Exchange III conference in Dearborn, MI on February 26-28, 2007.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued two separate notices on the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement's (UCFTA, or CFTA) 2007 tariff preference levels (TPLs) for imports from Chile of certain cotton and man-made fiber (MMF) apparel goods and certain cotton/MMF fabric, as described below.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice stating that it has re-accredited and re-approved SGS North America, Inc., of Deer Park, Texas, as a commercial gauger and laboratory, effective January 4, 2005. CBP adds that the next triennial inspection date will be scheduled for January 2008. (CBP Dec. 06-40, FR Pub 12/22/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-21928.pdf)

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a notice to inform accredited certifying agents and producers and handlers certified to the National Organic Program (NOP) of AMS' intention to release notices of noncompliance, and the identity of each entity which has been suspended or revoked, as well as the reasons for these actions. (D/N TM-07-04, FR Pub 12/21/06, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-21838.pdf)

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued an annual notice providing its determinations of the trade surplus in certain sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products of Chile, Morocco, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua.

The State Department has issued a notice extending the comment period until January 7, 2007 (from December 18, 2006) and provides an additional venue through which to make comments (via email to PassportCardComments@state.gov) on its October 2006 proposed rule that would set forth the format and requirements for obtaining PASS Cards (also referred to as passport cards). The State Department has previously stated that PASS Cards would serve as a lower cost means of establishing identity and nationality for U.S. citizens in the following limited situations: (1) when crossing U.S. land borders, and (2) when traveling by sea between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release stating that on December 19, 2006, the U.S. and Panama announced that they had completed negotiations on a free trade agreement(FTA) with the understanding that it is subject to further discussions regarding labor.