The Washington File reports that the chief U.S. negotiator in the free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman says the first round of bargaining with each country has gone smoothly and she expects that agreements with both countries will be concluded and signed by the end of 2005. (Washington File Pub 03/14/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=March&x=20050314185740cpataruk0.1947443&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html)
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.
On December 17, 2004, President Bush signed into law S. 2845, the "Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" (Public Law (P.L.) 108-458).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty administrative review of certain cut-to-length carbon steel plate from Romania for the period of August 1, 2002 through July 31, 2003.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a reminder on the March 22, 2005 opening of the third global specialty sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) for the October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005 period.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an interim rule, effective March 7, 2005, which amends 19 CFR Parts 10, 24, 162, 163, 178, and 191 for the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (US-CFTA).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an interim rule, effective March 7, 2005, which amends 19 CFR Parts 10, 24, 162, 163, 178, and 191 for the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (US-CFTA).
The House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee has issued an advisory requesting that all Members that plan to introduce tariff legislation or miscellaneous corrections to the trade laws do so by Thursday, April 28, 2005, in order that they be included in the forthcoming opportunity for public comment on these bills.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice stating that on January 21, 2005, the Court of International Trade (CIT) affirmed the ITA's final results of redetermination on remand (remand results) with respect to tapered roller bearings and parts thereof, finished or unfinished from China.
According to a Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) notice, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced that on January 1, 2005, China would impose an export tax (also referred to as an export duty or tariff) on 148 clothing items. The HKTDC states that the 148 clothing items subject to the tax fall into six broad categories: outerwear, dresses, trousers, blouses, pajamas, and underwear and that the tax ranges from 20 fen to 50 fen (RMB) per item/kg. HKTDC notes that export of items covered by the new tax account for 75% of China's clothing exports.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued its Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 Year End Import Trade Trends Report, which covers October 2003 - September 2004.