New APHIS Flag to Reduce Need for Disclaims for APHIS Core PGA Message Set

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is developing a new Harmonized Tariff Schedule flag for use in ACE that the agency says will eliminate the need for filers to disclaim entries under tariff subheadings potentially subject to the APHIS Core partner government agency message set, it said in an emailed bulletin Feb. 9. The new “AQ3” flag will alert filers that the relevant tariff subheading may require APHIS Core PGA data, but it will not prohibit filers from successfully submitting an entry without the data or a disclaim.

“APHIS is introducing the new flag in response to evidence that some HTS codes are largely disclaimed and do not require APHIS Core Message Set data,” the agency said. “This change will eliminate the burden on stakeholders who had to disclaim large volumes of shipments.”

Filers that have an entry flagged AQ3 will receive the message: “PU2 – DATA MSNG [missing] FOR HTS – NO ACTION REQD,” APHIS said.

The new flag “does not eliminate the requirement to file a message set when permits, certificates or other documents are required for agriculture admissibility,” APHIS said. “The move to an AQ3 flag simply removes the requirement to disclaim products not regulated by APHIS, or indicates data is not required.” APHIS said it will “update filers when the APHIS Core Message Set AQ3 flag is operational.”