The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on November 17, 2004, the U.S. and Australia exchanged diplomatic notes certifying that each country has completed its internal requirements to allow the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to enter into force on January 1, 2005.
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 three ABI administrative messages announcing that the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is being modified to accept certificate numbers in the entry summary record identifier 52 record (input) in the miscellaneous permit/license number field (positions 30-38) when a claim is made under the following:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message to ABI filers stating that there are additional edits in place at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Phase 5 of the FDA/Bioterrorism Act (BTA) program for prior notice (PN) of imported food, resulting in additional rejects of PN transmissions.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a proposed rule that would provide an exemption from the tariff publication requirements of the Shipping Act of 1984 (Act) for service arrangements made by non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), subject to the conditional filing requirements set forth in proposed new 46 CFR Part 531.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a third set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and responses (dated 10/27/04) to its Web page regarding the January 1, 2005 full integration (elimination of quotas) for textiles and textile apparel originating in countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a proposed rule that would provide an exemption from the tariff publication requirements of the Shipping Act of 1984 (Act) for service arrangements made by non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), subject to the conditional filing requirements set forth in proposed new 46 CFR Part 531.
In the October 27, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 44), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to change the way it classifies certain homeopathic products, which would result in the revocation of two classification rulings, and (b) revoking a classification ruling on an air blow gun kit. CBP states that it is also revoking, or proposing to revoke, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued two ABI administrative messages announcing that its most recent Harmonized System (HS) updates contain:
The European Commission (EC) has issued a press release announcing that it has adopted a proposal setting out the details of the European Union (EU) Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for 2006-2008. According to the press release, the EC proposal would modify the EU GSP through simplification, expanding product coverage, focusing benefits on those developing countries most in need, and setting up additional benefits known as GSP.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued an update on the potential increase in general duty rates for certain goods from all "Column 1" countries in the event that the U.S. cannot reach agreement with the European Union (EU) for adequate compensation owed under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules as a result of the May 2004 EU enlargement and EU changes to its rice import regime.