[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 11946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6188]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Technical Correction to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Technical correction to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States.
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SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is making a
technical correction to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTS) so that the intended tariff treatment is accorded certain
phenols having a purity of 75 percent or more by weight.
ADDRESSES: Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th
Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Chattin, Director for Tariff
Affairs (202) 395-5097, or Catherine Field, Senior Counsel for
Multilateral Affairs, (202) 395-3432.
Correction to HTS
The HTS is modified as provided below, with bracketed matter
included to assist in the understanding of proclaimed modifications.
The following supersedes matter in the HTS. The subheadings and
superior text are set forth in columnar format, and material in such
columns is inserted in the columns of the HTS designated ``Heading/
Subheading'', ``Article Description'', ``Rates of Duty 1 General'',
``Rates of Duty 1 Special'', and ``Rates of Duty 2'', respectively.
Effective with respect to articles that are entered, or
withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after December 31,
1995.
1. Subheadings 2707.60.10 and 2707.60.20 are deleted and the
following new subheadings are inserted in lieu thereof with article
descriptions at the same level of indentation as that of subheading
2701.19.00:
[2707 Oils and other products of the distillation . . .:]
[2707.60 Phenols:]
``2707.60.05 Containing more than 2.9 cents/kg + 12.5% Free (A, CA, E, IL, J, Mx) 7.7 cents/kg + 29.5%
50 percent by weight
hydroxybenzene.
2707.60.10 Metacresol, 0.9 cents/kg + 3.1% Free (A, CA, E, IL, J, MX) 15.4 cents/kg + 42.5%
orthocresol, paracresol and
metaparacresol, all the foregoing
having a purity of 75 percent or
more by weight.
2707.60.90 Other.................. Free Free''
Explanation
Effective January 1, 1996, the President proclaimed modifications
to the HTS to conform the it with amendments made to International
Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System
(Convention). The modifications in Proclamation 6857 were based on
advice provided by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) to
the President in investigation No. 1205-3. One of the modifications
that the USITC recommended and the President proclaimed, (See
Proclamation 6587), transferred the classification of certain phenols
having a purity of 75 percent or more by weight from one subheading to
another subheading. This transfer did not change the duty rate
treatment for these products. Neither the Proclamation nor the USITC
advice addressed either the classification or duty rate treatment for
other phenols.
In May 1997, the Customs Service changed the classification of
certain phenols based on its interpretation of the modifications to the
HTS set forth in Proclamation 6587. This change in classification
resulted in a rate increase for these products from Free to 2.9 cents
per kilogram plus 12.5 percent ad valorem. Such a change in duty rate
for these products was not intended, was not recommended and was not
explicitly provided for in Proclamation 6587. This technical correction
ensures that the intended tariff rate applies to the affected products.
The USTR is making this correction pursuant to authority granted by
Congress to the President in section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974 and
delegated by the President to the USTR in Presidential Proclamation No.
6969 of January 27, 1997 (62 FR 4415).
Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 98-6188 Filed 3-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M
