According to a Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) notice, the Chinese Ministry of Finance (MOFCOM) has announced that on June 1, 2005, China will raise export duties on 39 broad textile and clothing categories covering a total of 74 items.
Customs duty
A customs duty is a tariff or tax which a country imposes on goods when they are transported across international borders. Customs Duties are used to protect countries' economies, residents, jobs, and environments, by limiting the flow of imported merchandise, especially restricted and prohibited goods, into the country. The Customs duty rate is a percentage determined by the value of the article purchased in the foreign country and not based on quality, size, or weight. U.S. customs duties are listed in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message advising the trade on the ABI system requirements needed to file a U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (Morocco FTA) claim.
CIT rules that market, not FDA or courts, recognizes a dietary supplement as therapeutic. In Inabata Specialty Chemicals v. U.S., the Court of International Trade (CIT) agreed with the importer and ruled that chondroitin sulfate (CS) entered in bulk powder form and packaged for retail sale as a dietary supplement according to FDA requirements, is classified under HTS 3001.90.0000 (duty-free) as other human or animal substances prepared for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not elsewhere specified or included.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the low-duty Tariff Preference Level (TPL) (1) for Mexico filled on May 9, 2005 at 1:40 p.m.
CIT rules unused country-specific quotas for ice cream must be reallocated. In Pillsbury Company v. U.S., the Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled that with respect to the tariff rate quota (TRQ) imposed on ice cream, Customs is required to reallocate to the "common pool" of entries any unused, country-specific quotas.
According to a columnist in the Washington Post's business section, the sugar lobby has come out against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), in a bid to finally get sugar off the negotiating table once and for all, and preserve their tariffs and import quotas that cost Americans at least $1 billon a year in subsidies and artificially high sugar prices. (Washington Post, 05/11/05, www.washingtonpost.com )
People's Daily Online states that effective April 1, 2005, China will begin levying higher tariffs of up to 30%, equivalent to the tariff rates for complete vehicles, on certain auto part imports, including those completely knocked down (CKD) and semi-knocked down (SKD). Except for those specified in the rule, the article states that other forms of auto part imports will continue to be eligible for tariff rates of between 13 - 17%. In addition, starting from July 1, 2006, the higher tariffs will be extended to any imports of auto parts valued at 60% or more of the total price of a complete vehicle. (PDO, dated 03/07/05, available at http://english1.people.com.cn/200503/07/print20050307_175863.html ), also see http://www.investweb.cn/policy/PolicyDetail.aspx?id=687 )
In the May 4, 2005 edition of the Canada Gazette, the Canadian government has published an order suspending the application of concessions on imports of certain products originating in the U.S. Effective May 1, 2005, this order imposes a 15% surtax on listed U.S. products in light of the U.S.' failure to repeal the Byrd Amendment, which the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled is inconsistent with the U.S.' international obligations.
On May 1, 2005, both the European Union (EU) and Canada will begin imposing 15% additional duties on various U.S.-origin products in light of the U.S.' failure to repeal the Byrd Amendment1, which the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled is inconsistent with the U.S.' international obligations.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site its preliminary report for its investigation (No. 1205-6) on proposed modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), which are scheduled to become effective in January 2007.