U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a memorandum providing instructions for the filing and acceptance of claims for preferential tariff treatment of goods made under the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
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.
In June 2005, the Court of International Trade ruled in International Custom Products (ICP), Inc. v. U.S., that a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Notice of Action (Rate Advance) reclassifying certain "white sauce" is null and void as CBP failed to observe 19 USC 1625(c) which requires, among other things, advance notice and comment when such an action would revoke or modify a binding ruling.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an interim rule on the time period and other requirements for requesting refunds of any excess customs duties paid on entries of a country's textile or apparel goods that are entitled to the retroactive application of preferential tariff treatment under the Dominican Republic - Central America - U.S. Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice announcing the opportunity to request administrative reviews by March 31, 2006 for individual producers or exporters subject to the following antidumping (AD) and/or countervailing (CV) duty orders:
The Journal of Commerce reports that progress has been made on two technology fronts in the battle for supply-chain security - an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) working group has agreed to an outline of standards for an electronic container seal and a company that has been working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to perfect a container security device announced that it had passed a critical test for reliability. The article notes that a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation expected to require seals for all containers is under departmental review. (JoC, dated 02/06/06, www.joc.com.)
On February 16, 2006, the International Trade Administration (ITA) issued a notice amending its final affirmative antidumping (AD) duty determination for silicon metal from Russia, as there is now a final and conclusive court decision in this case.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. and Colombia have concluded their work on a free trade agreement (FTA).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has scheduled the next Customs Broker License Examination for Monday, April 3, 2006.
In the February 22, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 9), CBP issued a notice proposing to revoke a classification ruling on antimony trisulphide. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical merchandise.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice that amends the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty administrative review on tapered roller bearings and parts thereof, finished and unfinished, from China for the period of June 1, 2003 through May 31, 2004.