U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued messages on a number of antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty actions, many of which (marked by an * in the action column) were previously published in the Federal Register by the International Trade Administration (ITA) and summarized in International Trade Today.
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 May 14, 2004, the General Accounting Office (GAO) submitted to the Homeland Security Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a report entitled "Information Technology - Early Releases of Customs Trade System Operating, but Pattern of Cost and Schedule Problems Needs to be Addressed."
Customs failure to reliquidate entries does not constitute a 'mistake of fact.' In Fujitsu Compound Semiconductor, Inc. v. U.S., the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) affirmed the Court of International Trade's (CIT's) earlier determination that Customs' failure to reliquidate certain entries of laser diode modules on its own initiative does not constitute a mistake of fact correctable under 19 USC 1520(c).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice to its Web site stating that the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Status Report (dated October 2003 - March 2004) is currently in the review process within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and it will be posted once approved and forwarded to Congress. (CBP notice available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/quarterly_reports/)
On May 14, 2004, the General Accounting Office (GAO) submitted to the Homeland Security Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a report entitled "Information Technology - Early Releases of Customs Trade System Operating, but Pattern of Cost and Schedule Problems Needs to be Addressed."
In the May 12, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 20), CBP issued notices: (a) revoking a classification ruling on satellite radio receiver sets; (b) revoking a classification ruling regarding a radar apparatus that measures liquid levels; and (c) revoking or modifying three classification rulings on textile tool holders. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
In the May 12, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBPBulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 20), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to revoke a classification ruling on a men's cotton denim woven shirt-jacket, and (b) proposing to revoke a classification ruling regarding certain chef's coats. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The ITA also states that the CV cash deposit rates for all non-reviewed companies are unchanged by the results of this review.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued several notices requesting written comments from the public and other federal agencies by July 6, 2004 regarding the following unchanged information collections that it intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval and extension of the expiration date:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an ABI administrative message stating that the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport has experienced a significant number of entries with the following classification error: household metal furniture properly classified under HTS 9403.20.0015 is being entered under HTS 9403.20.0011.