ITC Issues Semiannual Revision to 2023 HTS; Changes Effective as of July 1

The International Trade Commission posted Revision 9 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The semiannual update to the HTS adds new 10-digit tariff numbers for a variety of products, including various varieties of ornamental cut flowers and greens, certified organic vegetables, and medical scrubs and protective equipment. All changes take effect July 1, unless otherwise specified.

Organic certifications. General Statistical Note 6 was updated to add the UK's Council Regulation No 834/2007 and Commission Regulations No 889/2008 and 1235/2008 to the list of "certified organic" definitions.

Ornamental cut flowers. Tariff provisions under subheading 0609.19 for "Cut flowers and flower buds of a kind suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes, fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated or otherwise prepared: Fresh: Other" were renumbered, and several new breakouts were added.

Alstroemeria was renumbered to 0603.19.0107 and Aster was renumbered to 0603.19.0109. Several new 10-digit subheadings were established, including bells of Ireland (0603.19.0111), bird of paradise (0603.19.0113), daffodils (0603.19.0115), freesia (0603.19.0117), gerbera (0603.19.0118), gladiolus (0603.19.0119), hypericum (0603.19.0127), lisianthus (0603.19.0129), peony (0603.19.0131), ranunculus (0603.19.0135), statice (0603.19.0141), stock (0603.19.0142) and sunflowers (0603.19.0143). The pre-existing "other" category was renumbered to subheading 0603.19.0195.

Ornamental greens. Similarly, tariff provisions for "Foliage, branches and other parts of plants ... suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes... : Fresh" were rearranged.

The subheading for mosses and lichens was renumbered to 0604.20.0072. Several new 10-digit subheadings were established for aralia (0604.20.0005), aspidistra (0604.20.0011), eucalyptus (0604.20.0015), leather leaf ferns (0604.20.0065), other ferns (0604.20.0070), chamadorea palms (0604.20.0074), other palms (0604.20.0078), pittosporum (0604.20.0082) and ruscus (0604.20.0084). Other fresh foliage was renumbered to 0604.20.0086.

Broccoli. The tariff provision for fresh or chilled broccoli was split into subheadings for certified organic (0704.90.4022) and "other" (0704.90.4024).

Lettuce. Provisions for fresh or chilled lettuce, other than head lettuce, was subdivided into new 10-digit subheadings. New breakouts for non-lettuce entered between June 1 and Oct. 31 were created for romaine (0705.19.2020), butterhead (0705.19.2040), red and green leaf (0705.19.2060) and "other" (0705.19.2080) lettuce. Subheadings for non-head lettuce entered during the rest of the year were created for romaine (0705.19.4020), butterhead (0705.19.4040), red and green leaf (0705.19.4060) and "other" (0705.19.4080) lettuce.

Edible roots. The provision for salad beets, salsify, celeriac, radishes and similar edible roots, fresh or chilled, was split into subheadings for celeriac (0706.90.4020) and "other" (0706.90.4040).

Peas. Fresh peas entered between July 1 and Sept. 30 were further broken out into snow peas (0708.10.2020), sugar snap peas (0708.10.2040) and "other" peas (0708.10.2060). Fresh peas entered at other dates were broken out into subheadings for snow peas (0708.10.4020), sugar snap peas (0708.10.4040) and "other" peas (0708.10.4060).

Celery. Fresh celery other than celeriac imported between April 15 and July 31 was split into certified organic (0709.40.4020) and "other" (0709.40.4040). Celery imported at other dates also was split into certified organic (0709.40.6020) and "other" (0709.40.6040).

Guavas, mangoes and mangosteens. Fresh guavas, mangoes and mangosteens entered between Sept. 1 and May 31 had mangosteens broken out as 0804.50.4065 and non-mango "others" renumbered to 0804.50.4075. Mongosteens entered at any other time were added as 0804.50.6065, while non-mango "others" was renumbered to 0804.50.6075.

Limes. Tahitian limes, Persian limes and other limes of the Citrus latifolia variety were broken out into certified organic (0805.50.3020) and "other" (0805.50.3040) categories.

Honeydews. Melons other than watermelons, cantaloupes, Oges and Galia melons entered between Dec. 1 and May 31 were broken out into honeydew melons (0807.19.7020) and "other" (0807.19.7040). Melons entered at any other time were likewise broken out into honeydews (0807.19.8020) and "other" (0807.19.8040).

Wheat gluten. The tariff provision for wheat gluten not for animal consumption was broken out into certified organic (1109.00.9010) and "other" (1109.00.9020).

Cherry juice. A provision cherry juice was further broken out into tart cherry juice concentrate that is certified organic (2009.89.6515) or not (2009.89.6520), and tart cherry juice that is certified organic (2009.89.6530) or not (2009.89.6540). Other cherry juice was renumbered to 2009.89.6550.

Oils. A provision for petroleum oil waste oil containing polychlorinated biphelnyls (PCBs), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) or polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) was broken out into those containing PCBs at a concentration level of 50 mg/kg or more (2710.91.0010) and "other" (2710.91.0050).

Hydrocarbon derivatives. Halogenated derivatives or cyclanic, cyclenic or cycloterpenic hydrocarbons other than 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexachlorocyclohexane, Aldrin, chlordane, heptachlor, or mire, not derived from benzene nor chlorinated were further broken out into other hexabromocyclododecanes (2903.89.7010) and "other" (2903.89.7090) subheadings.

Organo-sulfur compounds. Tariff provisions for organo-sulfur compounds other than 2-ethanethiol, thiocarbamates, dithiocarbamates, Thiurammonosulfides, disulfides, or tetrasulfides, methionine, Bissulfide, Aldicarb, captafol, methamidophos that are non-aromatic pesticides other than thiocyanates, thiuramsand or isothiocyanates, had phorate added as 2930.90.4315 and "other" renumbered to 2930.90.4395.

Plastic pipe fittings. A provision for plastic pipe plumbing fittings not pressure rated had two new subheadings added for fittings of polyvinyl chlorine (3917.40.0020) and fittings of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (3917.40.0030). "Other" was renumbered to 3917.40.0050. Other plastic plumbing fittings were broken out into subheadings for polyvinyl chloride (3917.40.0060) and "other" (3917.40.0080). Other plastic fittings not for plumbing were renumbered to 3917.40.0095.

Personal protective equipment. Subheadings for cotton garments under tariff provisions for track suits, ski-suits, and swimwear, designed for use in hospitals, clinics, laboratories or contaminated areas were further broken out into 10-digit subheadings for surgical or isolation gowns (6211.42.1082) and "other" (6211.42.1088). Other cotton garments for women or girls in the same category, not for use in hospitals, was renumbered to 6211.42.1092.

Garments of man-made fibers designed for use in hospitals, clinics, laboratories or contaminated areas were further broken out into subheadings for surgical or isolation gowns (6211.43.1082) and "other" (6211.43.1088). Other garments of man-made fibers for women or girls in the same category, not for use in hospitals, was renumbered to subheading 6211.43.1092.

Medical scrubs. The tariff subheading for men's trousers and breeches of cotton, falling within suits and similar clothing, was broken out into provisions for breeches made of corduroy (6203.42.4506), blue denim (6203.42.4511) and those designed for use in hospitals, clinics, labs, or contaminated areas (6203.42.4514), with "other" being renumbered to 6203.42.4518.

Similar clothing of synthetic fibers also had clothing designed for use in hospitals, etc., added as new subheadibg 6203.42.4509, with "other" being renumbered to 6203.42.4511.

The tariff provision for women's cotton trousers and breeches of similar type also was broken out into provisions for corduroy (6204.62.8006), blue denim (6204.62.8011) and those designed for use in hospitals, etc. (6204.62.8014), with "other" being renumbered to 6204.62.8018.

A subheading for similar clothing of synthetic fibers also had clothing designed for use in hospitals, etc., added as 6204.63.9009, with "other" being renumbered to 6204.63.9011.

Men's or boys cotton shirts not certified hand-loomed or folklore products that are not dress shirts and do not have two or more colors in the warp and/or the filling, had those designed for use in hospitals, etc., added as 10-digit subheading 6205.20.2063, with "other" renumbered to 6205.20.2067.

Similar clothing of man-made fibers had those for use in hospitals, etc., added as subheading 6205.30.2071, with "other" renumbered to 6205.30.2073.

Similar women's cotton shirts had those designed for use in hospitals, etc., added as subheading 6206.30.3043, with "other" renumbered to 6206.30.3045.

Similar women's shirts of man-made fibers also had those designed for use in hospitals, etc., added as subheading 6206.40.3033, with "other" renumbered to 6206.40.3035.

Shirts excluded from heading 6205 made of man-made fibers and designed for use in hospitals, etc., was added under new subheading 6211.33.9042, with "other" renumbered to 6211.33.9044.

Provisions for blouses, shirts and shirt-blouses, sleeveless tank styles and similar upper body garments, of man-made fibers and excluded from heading 6206 had those designed for hospitals, etc. added as subheading 6211.43.1059, with "other" being renumbered to 6211.43.1062.

Worked quartzite products. Provisions for worked monumental or building stone, not tile or cubes and not of marble, travertine, alabaster or granite, had a subheading monuments, bases and marker stones added as 6802.99.0030. Non-monuments of quartzite were broken into slabs (6802.99.0050) and "other" (6802.99.0070) with non-quartzite stone added as subheading 6802.99.0090.

Batteries. A provision for manganese dioxide batteries was broken out into provisions for button and coin cell batteries (8506.10.0010) and "other" manganese dioxide batteries (8506.10.0090).

Silver oxide batteries with an external volume of 300cm3 or less were similarly broken out into provisions for button and coin cell batteries (8506.10.1010) and "other" (8506.10.1090).

Lithium batteries had the same treatment for button and coin cells (8506.50.0010) and "other" (8506.50.0090).

Air-zinc batteries had provisions added for button and coin cells (8506.60.0010) and "other" (8506.60.0090).

Finally, other primary cells and batteries also were broken into provisions for button and coin cells (8506.80.0010) and "other" (8506.80090).

E-cigarette parts. Subheadings for parts of personal electric or electronic vaporizing devices containing nicotine or "other" were collapsed into the single subheading 8543.90.8865, for parts for "electronic cigarettes and similar personal electric vaporizing devices."

Statistical Note 7, which defined "personal electric or electronic vaporizing devices" was removed and all later Chapter 85 Statistical Notes were renumbered.

Port of Billingsport removed. In Statistical Annex C, Port 1105, corresponding to Billingsport, New Jersey, was removed.