USTR Issues New Batch of Product Exclusions From List 3 Section 301 Tariffs

The U.S Trade Representative issued some new product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on the third list of products from China, granting exemptions for two 10-digit tariff subheadings, according to a pre-publication copy of a notice posted to the agency’s website Nov. 7. The product exclusions apply retroactively to Sept. 24, 2018 the date the tariffs on the third list took effect, and will remain in effect until Aug. 7, 2020. New subheading 9903.88.34 will be used for these products.

Fully exempt from Section 301 duties are subheadings 8409.91.3000 and 8708.50.9500. These subheadings cover certain cylinder heads for spark-ignition piston engines and motor vehicle drive shafts. The agency also created "34 specially prepared product descriptions, which cover 42 separate exclusion requests," it said. The new product descriptions are:

• Floor coverings of polyvinyl chloride, presented in the form of tiles or planks designed to snap together during installation (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000)
• Vinyl floor tiles of polymers of vinyl chloride, designed to click together during installation, each measuring 4.7 mm or more but not over 8 mm in thickness, 18 cm or more but not over 23 cm in width and 120 cm or more but not over 182 cm in length (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000)
• Vinyl floor tiles of polymers of vinyl chloride, designed to click together during installation, measuring 7 mm in thickness, 18 cm or more but not over 19 cm in width and 120 cm or more but not over 125 cm in length (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000)
• Dog and cat leashes, collars, harnesses, retractable leashes, muzzles, and head halters of nylon, polyester or soy-based webbing of various sizes; and tie out cables, stakes and aerials of iron or steel of various sizes, such cables, stakes and aerials presented in a form to be sold individually or in sets (described in statistical reporting number 4201.00.3000)
• Standard wood moldings, of oak (described in statistical reporting number 4409.29.4100)
• Engineered flooring, of oak, consisting of a 1.2 mm thick oak veneer top layer, 5.8 mm stone-plastic composite core and a 2 mm polyethylene backing, such flooring coated with aluminum oxide, measuring not over 191 cm long by 19 cm wide by 0.9 cm thick (described in statistical reporting number 4412.99.5105)
• Flooring panels constructed of a hardwood veneer measuring 0.6 mm or more but not over 1.2 mm in thickness laminated onto a waterproof stone-polymer composite base, with the thickness of each panel between 5 mm and 7.5 mm, with tongue and groove mechanism for installation and an attached foam pad (described in statistical reporting number 4412.99.5105)
• Assembled fence sections, of reeds held together with rows of wire, each section measuring 1.8 m or more but not over 1.9 m in height and 4.5 m or more but not over 4.6 m in width, or measuring not over 1.3 m in height and not over 2.5 m in width (described in statistical reporting number 4421.91.7020)
• Rigid boxes of paperboard weighing 1.2 kg per m2 covered with paper with a decorative design, each presented with hang tag, a handle and two imitation leather straps with snaps, such boxes measuring 21 cm or more but not over 23 cm in height, 21 cm or more but not over 23 cm in length and 5 cm or more but not over 9 cm in depth (described in statistical reporting number 4819.50.4040)
• Silk fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of silk or of silk waste other than noil silk, the foregoing not printed, not jacquard woven, measuring over 127 cm in width (described in statistical reporting number 5007.20.0065)
• Silk fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of silk or of silk waste other than noil silk, the foregoing not printed, not jacquard woven, measuring 107 cm or more but not over 127 cm in width (described in statistical reporting number 5007.20.0085)
• High tenacity single yarn of polyester multifilament, of 554 decitex or more but not over 556 decitex, with twist of 5 turns or more per meter (described in statistical reporting number 5402.20.3030)
• Sinks, of cast iron enameled with porcelain (described in statistical reporting number 7324.90.0000)
• Portable drill presses for use with hand drills of subheading 8467.21 (described in statistical reporting number 8467.99.0190)
• Static converters designed for wireless (inductive) charging of telecommunication apparatus (described in statistical reporting number 8504.40.8500)
• Gas ignition safety controls, measuring 3.8 to 5.3 cm in height, 6.4 to 10.1 cm in width and 13.2 to 13.9 cm in depth; weighing 160 g to 380 g each; and valued not over $26 each; of a kind used in patio heaters, agricultural heaters or clothes dryers (described in statistical reporting number 8537.10.9170)
• Extension cords, as defined in statistical note 6 to chapter 85, for a voltage not exceeding 1,000 V, each with a receptacle at one end and a male plug at the other with prongs perpendicular to the rest of the cord, the plug under a cover of plastics measuring 115 mm in length and 70 mm in width (described in statistical reporting number 8544.42.9010)
• Casters, with diameter (including, where appropriate, tires) of 20 cm or more but not over 23 cm (described in statistical reporting number 8716.90.3000)
• Bicycle speedometers designed to be handlebar mounted, wired, with a digital display, capable of measuring the following seven variables: current speed, average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, total distance, elapsed time and time (described in statistical reporting number 9029.20.2000)
  Folding chairs with frames of steel and/or aluminum, each measuring 30 cm or more but not over 97 cm in width, 20 cm or more but not over 89 cm in depth and 30 cm or more but not over 117 cm in height (described in statistical reporting number 9401.79.0015)
• Foldable stools with frames of steel or aluminum, each measuring not over 30.5 cm in width, 26 cm in depth and 39 cm in height (described in statistical reporting number 9401.79.0035)
  Fiberboard sheets, containing phenolic resin, each not exceeding 0.635 mm in thickness (described in statistical reporting number 4411.93.9090)
• Circular knitted fabrics of polyester and spandex, printed, other than of double knit or interlock construction, on rolls (described in statistical reporting number 6006.34.0080)
• Cutting pliers, each weighing 90 g or more but not over 545 g, measuring not over 32 cm in length, not over 10.5 cm in width and not over 3 cm in thickness (described in statistical reporting number 8203.20.6030)
  Bolt-on tips of carbon alloy steel of a kind used in tub or horizontal grinders (described in statistical reporting number 8207.90.7585)
• Tool tips, strips and sticks of tungsten carbide (described in statistical reporting number 8209.00.0030)
  Mountings, each weighing less than 2 kg, designed for use in motor vehicles primarily used for amusement, recreation, sporting and off-road transportation classified in heading 8703 or motorcycles in heading 8711 (described in statistical reporting number 8302.30.3060)
• Ratcheting chain hoists, other than skip hoists or hoists of a kind used for raising motor vehicles, such chain hoists not powered by an electric motor (described in statistical reporting number 8425.19.0000)
• Ultrasonic cleaners, with tanks of stainless steel and of a liquid capacity not over 32 liters (described in statistical reporting number 8479.89.9485)
• Static converters of a kind used to charge telecommunication apparatus in cars or homes, valued not over $2 each (described in statistical reporting number 8504.40.8500)
• Electrical insulators of glass (described in statistical reporting number 8546.10.0000)
• Road wheels of aluminum for motor vehicles of subheading 8703.21.01, each measuring 30 cm or more but not over 51 cm in diameter and 14 cm or more but not over 28 cm in width (described in statistical reporting number 8708.70.4545)
• Drive shafts, also known as propeller shafts, that connect a transmission to a differential, allowing a vehicle to move, designed for use in the manufacture of motor vehicles primarily used for amusement, recreation, sporting and off-road transportation classified in heading 8703 (described in statistical reporting number 8708.99.6805)
• Tension pole shower caddies, each of which adjusts to a height not to exceed 305 cm, and consists of 5 steel poles, 3 steel wire baskets and small plastic parts to hold the shelves on the poles (described in statistical reporting number 9403.20.0050)