The government correctly classified counterweights for mini-excavators as "backhoe" parts, rendering them ineligible for a Section 301 tariff exclusion, CIT Judge Jane Restani ruled in a July 21 opinion.
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.
Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., have reintroduced a bill that would refund some tariffs paid to importers of goods that were hit with tariffs as a result of the Airbus dispute with the EU. The bill also would prohibit future actions by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that would hike tariffs on goods already in transit -- unless the tariffs were on a nonmarket economy, such as China. The bill would require USTR to set an effective date for the tariff hike no sooner than 60 days from the publication of the target list.
A bill that says the Taiwan trade initiative can't take effect until the administration submits an economic analysis of its effects and answers questions from Congress on implementation has passed both chambers of Congress. The bill also says the next deal between Taiwan and the U.S. must gain congressional approval.
Importers of apparel from Africa and exporters of auto parts, apparel, food and metal from South Africa are making the case to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act ahead of schedule, renew it for at least 10 years, if not 20, and, some are arguing directly, restore Ethiopia's eligibility.
There is a "real opportunity" to update the Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes so that "potential tariff benefits" go toward products that are trying to reduce environmental impacts, Recreational Equipment, Inc. Vice President of Sustainability Matthew Thurston said during a panel discussion June 11.
A street mounted docking station for electronic bikes and scooters is correctly classified as a vending machine, according to a recently released CBP ruling. The ruling concerns the Monolith Docking station, which its importer, Lyft, described as a street mounted locking platform for the securing and dispensing of E-bikes or E-scooters. The station has the ability to electronically transmit operational information such as bike availability to remote servers running operations programs.
Motor control boards and electronic speed controllers designed for use in remote-controlled vehicles are "electrical transformers," not toy parts or boards equipped with electric control devices, CBP said in a recently released ruling. The agency found the remote-controlled vehicles that incorporate the control boards and speed controllers are more advanced than toys and are instead for experienced pilots.
Canada and Mexico talked about the panel ruling on auto rules of origin -- a decision that went their way but that the U.S. has chosen not to implement -- and Canada brought up the issue with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai as well, according to readouts from Mexico and Canada about the bilateral meetings July 6 ahead of the official Free Trade Commission meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
The ability to import low-value packages without paying duties is a benefit to consumers and businesses, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other trade groups that use de minimis are arguing, as they lobby against bipartisan efforts to curtail de minimis eligibility.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., introduced a bill designed to improve and modernize trade adjustment assistance programs, including "significantly higher funding levels and expanded eligibility," according to a summary provided by Blumenauer's office.