The Senate Finance Committee has issued a press release containing a letter urging the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to delay implementing the U.S.-Central America, Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) with those countries that have not accepted the U.S. meat inspection system. (Senate Finance Committee press release, dated 01/25/06, available at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2005/prg012506a.pdf.)
CBP CROSS Rulings
CBP issues binding advance rulings in connection with the importation of merchandise into the United States. They issue the rulings to give the trade community transparency of how CBP will treat a prospective import or carrier transaction. Common rulings include the tariff classification, country of origin, or free trade agreement applicability of merchandise, among other things. These rulings are available in CBP's Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) database.
(Part II - Final)
Recent CIT Rulings on Classification of Certain Tabletop Fountains and Incorrect Duty Rate in Ruling
Classification of certain tabletop fountains as pumps. In Conair Corporation v. U.S., the Court of International Trade (CIT) agreed with the importer and ruled that certain tabletop fountains known as "Serenity Ponds" are classifiable under HTS 8413.70.2004 as "submersible pumps," which are duty-free.
In the January 25, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 5), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to modify a classification ruling on brown sugar chunks, and (b) modifying a classification ruling on certain "Snappin' Slap Bracelets." CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke, or is revoking, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. trade officials say China missed a January 23, 2006 deadline set by the U.S. to get information on how China has sought to rein in rampant piracy. The article notes that the fight over piracy is straining U.S.-China ties and that the dispute over China's efforts on enforcement may spur the U.S. to turn to the World Trade Organization (WTO). (WSJ dated 01/27/06, www.wsj.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a revised informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, "What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Gaskets." According to CBP, this revised ICP is a study of the classification of gaskets of differing materials.
The Journal of Commerce reports that CBP officials state that government agencies will begin to use the International Trade Data System (ITDS), which is an integral part of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), in late 2006. The article notes that a prominent would-be ITDS user, the Coast Guard, has begun talking with the ITDS development team. In addition, the article notes that Treasury Department officials state that agencies are beginning to see the value of seeing the data online as it's being collected at the border. (JoC dated 01/02/06, www.joc.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice reminding interested parties of the address and phone/fax numbers for filing annual election to average for motor vehicles with the Regulatory Audit Division, Office of Strategic Trade.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted an updated version of its list of answers to questions submitted by the trade community at its November 2005 Trade Symposium which is posted to CBP's Web site.
Broker Power recently reported that according to sources at CBP headquarters, CBP expects to accept a China-origin entry of cotton or manmade fiber (MMF) knit shirts or blouses classified under a "Note 6" tariff number (i.e. one that claims an exclusion from the 338/339pt or 638/639pt China quota) if there is a binding ruling for the merchandise agreeing to the "Note 6" quota exclusion.