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.
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 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/)
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.
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).
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 issued a third administrative message concerning the liquidation date change which resulted from June 11, 2004 being designated a "holiday." According to CBP, the Automated Commercial System (ACS) will automatically convert summaries with a liquidation date of June 11, 2004 to a liquidation date of June 14, 2004 to reflect the holiday designation. CBP adds that liquidation notices that went out to the trade indicating a liquidation date of June 11, 2004 will actually have a liquidation date of June 14, 2004. (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/10/04 news, 04061005, for BP summary of ACS modification for June 11, 2004.) (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/14/04 news, (Ref; 04061405), for BP summary of additional details of the June 11, 2004 designation.) (Adm: 04-1446, dated 06/10/04, available via email or fax by emailing documents@brokerpower.com)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message stating that Phase 3 of the FDA BTA will be implemented on June 4, 2004, with full ABI edits turned on at or about 6:00 a.m. EDT on that date.
On May 24, 2004, the International Trade Commission (ITC) released a report entitled, U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Potential Economywide and Selected Sectoral Effects. According to the ITC, this report assesses the comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) that the President has entered into with Australia.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that on May 28, 2004, the U.S., Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua signed the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).