International TradeNewsletter - March 21, 2002
In this Issue...
U.S. Customs Service
March 21, 2002
- The U.S. Customs Service has issued a temporary rule that requires
importers of the steel products on which the President has imposed tariffs to
defer until April 19, 2002, the deposit of the required duties on those products
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption in the Customs territory of
the United States on or after 12:01 a.m., EST, March 20, 2002, and up to April
4, 2002. The President imposed the tariffs as a safeguard measure to protect
the domestic steel industry. (See Holland & Knight Trade Alert of March
8th, Volume 2, Issue 5 for details on the Presidential order.) A copy of the
U.S. Customs notice is available at
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-6807-filed.
- The U.S. Customs Service is proposing to amend the customs
regulations to establish rules and procedures under the Product Development and
Testing Act of 2000 (PDTA). The PDTA provides for duty-free entry of prototypes
to be used exclusively in product development, testing, evaluation or quality
control. The proposed rules set forth the procedures for the identification of
prototypes eligible for duty-free treatment under the Act, and the permissible
sale of such prototypes after use as scrap, waste or for recycling. Comments on
the regulations must be received on or before April 8, 2002. A copy of
the proposed regulations and procedures for submitting comments are available at
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-5557-filed.
- The U.S. Customs Service is proposing to amend the customs regulations to introduce a new fee structure on passengers
arriving in the United States via a commercial vessel. Under the new structure, a fee of $1.75 is assessed on each passenger arriving in the United States
via a commercial vessel (not an aircraft) from Canada, Mexico, a U.S. territory or possession, or an adjacent island; and a fee of $5.00 for
passengers arriving on a commercial vessel or aircraft from other destinations. The fee is to be paid by the carrier on a quarterly basis. The term
'passenger' would include infants even if the carrier does not charge for their transportation and even if they are carried by another passenger rather than occupying a seat. The proposal also contains minor changes
pertaining to customs brokers. Comments on the proposed changes should be submitted by May 17, 2002.
A copy of the proposed regulations and procedures for submitting comments is available at
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-6369-filed.pdf.