On June 30, 2004, President Bush signed Proclamation 7800 which makes a number of changes to the country/Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number combinations eligible for duty-free benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, etc.
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.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the low-duty Tariff Preference Level (TPL) (3) for Mexico filled on June 28, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. eastern time.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has posted to its Web site an updated version of the 2004 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. (HTS) dated July 1, 2004 (Supplement 1).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of June 29, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 06/29/04, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of June 22, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 06/22/04, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message to remind CBP and importers of the interim procedures for "prototypes" entered under HTS 9817.85.01.
On May 27, 2004, the U.S. and Bahrain completed a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) under which the U.S. and Bahrain will provide immediate duty-free access on virtually all of the products in their tariff schedules and will phase out tariffs on the remaining handful of products within 10 years.
According to sources at the International Trade Commission (ITC) and Presidential Proclamation 6763, the last column 1 "general" staged duty rate reductions for all but six of the tariff numbers subject to the Uruguay Round took effect on January 1, 2004.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site its "critical list" of textiles and apparel subject to import quotas with entered quantities 85% or more filled as of June 14, 2004. CBP states that this "critical list" may be used by CBP as a reference for releasing quota merchandise "off line" when the Automated Commercial System (ACS) is down for longer than four hours. CBP notes that textile and apparel merchandise for Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) countries cannot be released "off line" until it is processed through quota. CBP further notes that if the system is down for more than 24 hours, Headquarters Quota Branch should be contacted for further instructions. CBP also states that merchandise subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), which are filled, may be released if entered under the "over quota" (high) rate of duty. (CBP's critical list, dated 06/14/04, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/textile_critical_list/)
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on June 15, 2004, the U.S. and Morocco signed the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA).