CBTPA Renewal Signed Into Law; CBP System Update for Claims After Expiration Underway
President Donald Trump signed a bill that extends provisions of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act into law on Oct. 10, 10 days after the act expired. The CBTPA, which allows tariff-free imports of garments made with U.S. fabric and yarn inputs, will be in effect for 10 years. The renewal will apply retroactively to the day it expired. “CBP is programming its systems to allow CBTPA claims for entries made after September 30, 2020,” a CBP spokesperson said. “CBP will issue a CSMS message in coming days with the programming completion date and instructions for making a claim for entries entered after the aforementioned date.”
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U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the renewal “will help to preserve well-paying jobs in the U.S. textile industry while also strengthening our trade ties with Caribbean beneficiary countries, especially Haiti.” He said the eligibility requirements under the law also provide “a means to promote open markets.”
Cintas, an Ohio-based uniform manufacturer, responded to the signing with a statement thanking House bill co-sponsors Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, and Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. “Haiti is an integral part of Cintas’ Western Hemisphere supply chain,” said Kevin Bien, senior vice president of supply chain for Cintas. “Because of the programs enacted by Congress, Cintas has built strong partnerships in Haiti which enable us to supply our customers great value in a timely manner. The 10-year extension of CBTPA is especially important as companies such as Cintas deal with the economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Georges Sassine, a board member and former president of the Association des Industries d'Haïti, testified at a hearing on renewal that U.S. apparel imports, through July, are down 35% because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic-driven recession (see 2009100014).