On September 2, 2020, via Federal Register Notice, the United States Trade Representative formally announced its determination to extended certain previously granted exclusion requests through the end of the year; December 31, 2020.
On Tuesday, August 11, 2020, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced via Federal Register Notice that all items made in Hong Kong and destined for the U.S. must now indicate “China” as the country of origin.
Hong Kong’s unique political situation as an autonomous city-state initially called for specially tailored laws and regulations governing items imported into the United States. For more than 20 years the US recognized the separation between China and Hong Kong, evidenced by the requirements to distinguish between the two. Additionally, in light of the Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation; as well as the regime’s human rights and forced labor abuses, the United States is especially keen on identifying items produced in China.
Over 200 exclusions set to expire on August 7th are now effective until the end of the year.
In September 2018, as part of the Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, the US imposed a 10 percent ad valorem duties on more than 5,700 goods from China worth approximately $200 billion (List 3). Since the publication of the exclusion process on June 24, 2019, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has granted 15 rounds of relief.
If you import goods subject to List 2/Tranche 2 China tariffs, read on!
Background: 
Effective August 23, 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative imposed additional 25 percent duties on goods of China classified in 279 eight-digit subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), with an approximate annual trade value of $16 billion. See 83 FR 40823 for List 2; the $16 billion action. The U.S. Trade Representative’s determination included a decision to establish a process by which U.S. stakeholders could request exclusion of particular products classified within an eight-digit HTSUS subheading covered by the $16 billion action from the additional duties. The U.S. Trade Representative issued a notice setting out the process for the product exclusions and opened a public docket. See 83 FR 47236 (the September 18 notice).
Nearly a year ago, on August 20, 2019, President Trump and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) imposed a 10 percent ad valorem on imported goods from China, worth an estimated $300 Billion (Tranche or List 4), due to the US’ Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. Then, on August 30, 2019, the 10 percent ad valorem was raised to a 15 percent ad valorem. On January 22, 2020, the USTR, lowered the ad valorem on goods included on Annex A of List 4 to 7.5 percent and suspended the duties entirely for goods included on Annex C. See 84 FR 69447, 85 FR 3741.
Just over two years ago, on July 6, 2018, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) levied an estimated $34 Billion in Tariffs (also known as Tranche 1 or List 1) or against imports into the U.S. from the Chinese Communist Party due to the US’ Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation.
Following the publication of the tariffs, on July 11, 2018, USTR published Exclusion Process Procedures for items included on List 1. Petitioners were required to submit their requests by October 9, 2018, and USTR began granting exclusions in December 2018. Since the initial imposition of the Section 301 duties, USTR has granted 10 rounds of exclusions totaling more than 6,200 requests for List 1. Additionally, there are still more than 6,500 exclusion requests still pending approval for the Action taken on August 20, 2019.
On July 1, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Newark, New Jersey seized an import from China of roughly 13 tons of beauty products and accessories, discovered products made of human hair. The shipment, which came from the Xinjiang Region of China is estimated to be worth over $800,000.00.
The import was seized as a result of a June 17, 2020, Withhold Release Order (WRO) for “imported merchandise made wholly or in part with hair products produced by Lop County Meixin Hair Product Co. Ltd. (Meixin) in Xinjiang, China”.
According to CBP’s Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Trade, there had already been evidence that reasonably indicated that the Chinese hair product company had been using prison labor to produce their merchandise, which is prohibited by Federal statute 19 U.S.C. 1307.
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On June 23, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) #43134617 as guidance on the fifth round of product exclusions for List 4A of the Section 301 trade remedies. These exclusions were announced in Federal Register Notice (FRN) 85 FR 35975. According to the CSMS, duty exclusions granted by the USTR under this exclusion are retroactive for imports on or after the initial effective date of September 1, 2019. To request a refund of Section 301 duties paid on previous imports of products granted duty exclusions by the USTR, importers may file a Post Summary Correction (PSC) if within the PSC filing time frame. If the entry is beyond the PSC filing time frame, importers may protest the liquidation if within the protest filing time frame. These exclusions will be available through September 1, 2020 under 9903.88.49. The following chart details exclusions per Tranche as well as provides the secondary HTSUS that should be used by importers when filing entry with CBP. The secondary HTSUS signals to CBP the merchandise is excluded from the applicable Tranche. |
The USTR has been active over the last couple of months in granting exclusions and extending certain exclusions that were scheduled to expire. USTR continues to seek comments from industry to determine its next steps. This blog is a snap-shot of the USTR’s comment and exclusion request docket. Currently USTR is seeking comments on the Enforcement of U.S. WTO Rights in Large Civil Aircraft Dispute and China Section 301 Product Exclusion Extensions. Here is the breakdown:
ENFORCEMENT OF U.S. WTO RIGHTS IN LARGE CIVIL AIRCRAFT DISPUTE
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), faced with the current COVID-19 pandemic, has moved quickly to grant numerous exclusion requests in March 2020; many of which are for medical supplies. USTR is also seeking comments from industry on whether products are necessary to combat COVID-19 spread and should be excluded from the additional duties. DTL has assisted clients in submitting comments to the USTR – this is the time to let your voice be heard.