In the June 1, 2005 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 23), CBP issued a notice modifying a classification ruling on painted glass sinks. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in this notice.
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.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that a World Trade Organization (WTO) panel has sided with the U.S. in an agricultural dispute involving Mexican antidumping (AD) duties on U.S. long grain white rice. In its report, the WTO panel agreed with the U.S. that Mexican AD duties on rice and various provisions of its AD and countervailing (CV) duty laws are contrary to WTO rules. (USTR Press Release dated 06/07/05, available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/June/United_States_Wins_WTO_Challenge_Against_Mexican_Rice_Duties.html)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that it is withdrawing a proposed rule issued on July 25, 2002 by its predecessor, the Customs Service. Customs had proposed amending 19 CFR 146.63(c) to delineate certain practices, procedures, and filer obligations under an expanded weekly entry procedure for foreign trade zones (FTZs) that was enacted by Section 410 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (2000 Act).
CBP has issued its weekly quota commodity report as of June 6, 2005. 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, UAFTA 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, etc. (CBP's weekly quota commodity report, dated 06/06/05, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/ )
In the May 25, 2005 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 22), CBP issued notices: (a) revoking two classification rulings on Protamine Sulfate, and (b) revoking a classification ruling on tungsten carbide rods. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has issued a final rule, effective July 26, 2005, which amends 27 CFR Part 555 to require licensed importers to identify by marking all explosive materials they import for sale or distribution.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message (Adm: 05-0585) to remind the trade community that the expansion of the International Trade Administration's (ITA's) steel licensing system, known as the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) System, will be implemented effective June 9, 2005.
CBP Issues Notice of Intent to Distribute FY 2005 AD/CV Revenues to Affected Domestic Producers, Etc
Pursuant to the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (the Offset Act), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice in the Federal Register of its intent to distribute assessed antidumping (AD) or countervailing (CV) duties for fiscal year (FY) 2005 to affected domestic producers for certain qualifying expenditures they incur after the issuance of an AD or CV order. Written certifications to obtain a continued AD or CV offset under a particular order must be received by August 1, 2005.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that on March 23, 2005 the Court of International Trade (CIT) affirmed the ITA's redetermination on remand (redetermination) of the final AD duty determination with respect to stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Philippines.
In the May 25, 2005 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 22), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to modify a classification ruling on Tertiarybutylamine, and (b) proposing to revoke three classification rulings on porcelain table/kitchenware for commercial use. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.