HTSUS AMENDMENTS

HTSUS Amendments Proposed to Reflect Jan. 1, 2017, HS Changes

Friday, February 20, 2015

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report

The International Trade Commission has issued its proposed recommendations regarding modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S. that will be necessary to implement 234 amendments to the Harmonized System that are expected to go into force for World Customs Organization members as of Jan. 1, 2017. The ITC is also recommending modifications concerning taro and corned beef. The ITC asserts that the proposed modifications would ensure substantial duty rate neutrality and have little or no significant economic effect on U.S. industry or labor.
Written comments on these recommendations from interested federal agencies, the business community and the public are due no later than April 20. The ITC expects to issue its final recommendations to the president by July 31. Following a 60-day congressional layover period the president may proclaim the HTSUS modifications, which cannot become effective before the 30th day after the proclamation is published in the Federal Register.
WCO Amendments. Pursuant to the WCO amendments, the ITC proposes to recommend HTSUS changes for a wide range of products and product groups, including the following.
- fish and fishery products
- forestry products, including tropical wood and certain bamboo and rattan products
- antimalarial products
- substances controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention
- hazardous chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention
- persistent organic pollutants controlled under the Stockholm Convention
- ceramic tiles
- newsprint
- light-emitting diode lamps
- multi-component integrated circuits
- hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles
Taro and Corned Beef. The ITC proposes to recommend the deletion of HTSUS subheading 0714.90.10, which covers fresh or chilled taro and the amendment of HTSUS subheading 0714.40.10 to incorporate the rates of duty from subheading 0714.90.10. The ITC explains that there are different subheadings in the HTSUS for taro and dasheen but that these two terms are used interchangeably to describe the same product.
The ITC also proposes to recommend the deletion of HTSUS subheading 1602.50.10, which covers corned beef in airtight containers, and the insertion of a new HTSUS subheading for corned beef in airtight containers that is subordinate to a superior subheading for cured or pickled meat of bovine animals. The same rates of duty would continue to apply.

View Document(s):

• proposed recommendations