[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29150-29151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14061]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Possible Modifications to the International Harmonized System
Nomenclature
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Request for public comments on proposal to delete certain low-
trade categories from the Harmonized System.
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SUMMARY: The Commission is soliciting the views of interested parties
on a proposal before the Review Subcommittee (RSC) of the World Customs
Organization (WCO), Brussels, Belgium, to delete certain low-trade
headings and subheadings from the international Harmonized Commodity
Description and Coding System (Harmonized System or HS).
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 21, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene A. Rosengarden, Director,
Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (O/TA&TA) (202/205-2595,
E-Mail rosengarden@usitc.gov) or Ronald Heller (202/205-2596, E-Mail
rheller@usitc.gov). The O/TA&TA fax number is 202/205-2616.
Background
The Harmonized System was established by an international
Convention, which, inter alia, provides that the System should be kept
up-to-date in light of changes in technology and patterns of
international trade. The international HS nomenclature, which is
administered by the WCO, provides a uniform structural basis for the
customs tariff and statistical nomenclatures of all major trading
countries of the world, including the United States. The Commission,
the U.S. Customs Service and the Bureau of the Census are responsible
for the development of U.S. technical proposals concerning the HS under
section 1210 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the
1988 Act) (19 U.S.C. 3010). A 1988 notice issued by the United States
Trade Representative (53 FR 45646, November 10, 1988), establishes the
Commission as the lead U.S. agency in considering proposals for HS
amendments that are intended to ensure that it reflects such changes in
technology and trade.
In November 1996, the WCO decided provisionally to implement the
next series of amendments to the nomenclature by the year 2002. As part
of the current review cycle, the RSC requested that the WCO Secretariat
develop a list of four-digit headings and six-digit subheadings for
which world trade in each category did not exceed US$100 million and
US$20 million, respectively. Based on preliminary trade data for
calendar year 1993 provided by the United Nations Statistical Office
(UNSO), the WCO Secretariat recently published a list of approximately
500 HS headings and subheadings that showed world trade below those
thresholds. On this basis, the Subcommittee will consider deleting
these headings and subheadings from the HS. The Subcommittee noted that
as more recent data become available many of the categories would
automatically be dropped from the list of possible deletions and
thereby be retained in the HS. Additionally, each country was invited
to examine the list and indicate to the Subcommittee each category
which that country feels should be retained because (1) more recent
trade data available to that country reveals that the category in fact
exceeds the threshold or (2) international concern over environmental,
social or economic issues necessitates monitoring global trade on
products in the category despite the low volume of trade. Beginning in
its 16th session (September 1997) the Subcommittee will examine the
Secretariat's list and all national requests for retention of
individual categories.
The following is a list of the headings (ending with double zeros)
and subheadings as provided by the Secretariat. Items in the list
marked with an asterisk (*) are those for which the Commission is
proposing that the United States request retention.
0101.20,* 0206.80,* 0209.00,* 0301.91, 0302.31,* 0302.33,* 0302.61,*
0302.66,* 0303.76,* 0303.77,* 0305.10, 0305.42, 0307.51,* 0501.00,*
0502.10,* 0502.90,* 0503.00,* 0507.10,* 0604.10, 0709.52, 0709.70,
0711.10, 0802.21, 0810.30, 0812.20, 0814.00, 0903.00,* 0906.20,*
0907.00,* 0908.10,* 0908.20,* 0908.30,* 0909.40,* 0909.50,*
0910.30,* 0910.40,* 0910.50,* 1102.10, 1103.12, 1103.14, 1103.21,
1103.29, 1104.11, 1104.21, 1104.22, 1106.10, 1106.20, 1106.30,
1108.20, 1203.00, 1207.10, 1207.30, 1207.92, 1209.19, 1209.26,
1212.91, 1212.92, 1402.10, 1402.90, 1403.10, 1403.90, 1503.00,
1504.30,* 1505.10, 1505.90, 1506.00,* 1510.00,* 1515.60, 1521.10,
1521.90, 1522.00, 1602.10,* 1603.00,* 1802.00, 1902.40, 1903.00,
2001.20, 2003.20, 2005.10, 2006.00,* 2009.50, 2205.90,* 2209.00,*
2302.20, 2302.50, 2307.00, 2308.10, 2502.00, 2504.90,* 2506.10,
2506.21, 2506.29, 2509.00, 2511.20, 2512.00, 2513.11, 2513.19,
2513.20, 2514.00, 2515.20,* 2516.21, 2516.22, 2517.20,* 2518.30,
2522.30,* 2525.10, 2525.20, 2525.30, 2527.00, 2530.40, 2605.00,
2611.00, 2612.10,* 2612.20,* 2617.10,* 2617.90,* 2620.50,* 2621.00,
2702.10, 2705.00, 2706.00, 2707.20, 2708.20, 2802.00,* 2804.80,*
2804.90,* 2805.22,* 2805.40,* 2806.10, 2806.20, 2808.00, 2809.10,
2812.10,* 2812.90,* 2815.30, 2816.10,* 2816.20,* 2816.30,* 2821.20,
2824.20,* 2824.90,* 2826.20, 2827.33, 2827.34,* 2827.35,* 2827.36,*
2827.38,* 2827.51, 2829.19, 2830.10, 2830.20,* 2830.30,* 2830.90,*
2831.90, 2832.30, 2833.30,* 2834.22,* 2836.70,* 2837.20,* 2838.00,*
2839.20, 2841.20,* 2841.40,* 2841.50,* 2844.30,* 2844.50,* 2845.10,*
2845.90,* 2848.00,* 2851.00,* 2903.16, 2903.62, 2907.30, 2909.20,
2911.00, 2912.13, 2912.21, 2912.50, 2913.00, 2914.21, 2915.22,
2918.17, 2921.12, 2939.70, 3001.10, 3101.00, 3102.70, 3103.20,
3104.10, 3205.00, 3211.00, 3301.26, 3601.00, 3605.00, 3606.10,
3606.90, 3702.91, 3702.92, 3704.00, 3706.90, 3803.00, 3805.10,*
3805.20,* 3805.90,* 3807.00, 3813.00, 3817.20, 4002.80, 4003.00,
4004.00, 4017.00, 4107.21, 4108.00, 4110.00, 4204.00,* 4206.10,
4206.90,* 4301.20, 4301.30, 4301.40, 4301.50, 4301.70, 4301.90,
4302.12, 4304.00, 4404.10, 4404.20, 4405.00, 4406.10, 4406.90,
4411.31, 4411.39, 4413.00, 4416.00, 4501.10, 4501.90, 4502.00,
4601.10, 4601.99, 4704.19, 4807.10, 4812.00, 4815.00, 4817.20,
4904.00, 4905.10, 4905.91, 4905.99, 5001.00, 5006.00,* 5103.30,
5104.00, 5105.40, 5109.10, 5109.90,* 5110.00, 5113.00, 5202.91,
5203.00, 5204.19,* 5205.35,* 5206.13,* 5206.15,* 5206.21,* 5206.25,*
5206.31,* 5206.33,* 5206.34,* 5206.35,* 5206.41,* 5206.43,*
5206.44,* 5210.12,* 5211.21,* 5211.22,* 5211.29,* 5211.41,*
5211.42,* 5211.43,* 5211.52,* 5212.12,* 5212.21,* 5212.22,*
5212.24,*
[[Page 29151]]
5302.10, 5302.90, 5303.10, 5303.90, 5304.10, 5304.90, 5305.11,
5305.19, 5305.21, 5305.29, 5305.91, 5305.99, 5308.10, 5308.20,*
5308.30, 5310.90,* 5405.00, 5406.10,* 5406.20,* 5407.30,* 5505.20,
5507.00, 5508.20,* 5511.10,* 5511.20,* 5511.30,* 5512.21,* 5513.32,*
5513.33,* 5513.42,* 5513.43,* 5514.13,* 5514.31,* 5514.32,*
5514.33,* 5514.42,* 5515.92,* 5516.31,* 5516.34,* 5605.00, 5607.30,
5702.39,* 5702.51,* 5702.59,* 5801.24,* 5801.26,* 5801.32,*
5801.34,* 5802.20,* 5803.10,* 5803.90,* 5804.30,* 5805.00,*
5809.00,* 5901.10,* 5901.90,* 5904.91, 5904.92, 5905.00,* 5908.00,
5909.00, 6002.41,* 6101.90,* 6102.90,* 6103.11,* 6103.12,* 6103.19,*
6103.21,* 6103.29,* 6103.31,* 6103.39,* 6103.41,* 6104.11,*
6104.12,* 6104.19,* 6104.29,* 6107.19,* 6107.29,* 6107.92,*
6107.99,* 6108.39,* 6108.99,* 6111.10,* 6111.90,* 6112.19,*
6112.20,* 6112.39,* 6116.99,* 6117.20,* 6203.21,* 6209.10,*
6213.10,* 6213.90,* 6215.90,* 6301.10,* 6302.29,* 6302.59,*
6302.92,* 6302.93,* 6302.99,* 6303.11,* 6303.19,* 6304.11,*
6305.90,* 6306.11,* 6306.19,* 6306.39, 6306.41, 6306.91, 6306.99,
6308.00,* 6406.91, 6501.00,* 6502.00,* 6503.00,* 6504.00,* 6505.10,
6506.92, 6507.00, 6602.00,* 6701.00,* 6703.00,* 6704.90,* 6808.00,
6811.30, 6811.90, 6812.10, 6812.20, 6812.30, 6812.40, 6812.50,
6812.60, 6814.10, 6814.90, 6901.00, 6905.90,* 6906.00,* 7001.00,
7003.30, 7012.00, 7105.90,* 7107.00, 7109.00, 7110.41, 7110.49,
7111.00, 7118.10, 7118.90, 7202.80, 7227.20, 7229.20,* 7302.20,
7313.00,* 7316.00,* 7401.10, 7401.20, 7403.23, 7405.00, 7414.20,
7414.90,* 7415.10, 7415.21, 7415.31, 7416.00, 7417.00,* 7505.11,
7505.21, 7507.11, 7507.20, 7603.10, 7603.20, 7611.00, 7613.00,
7802.00,* 7803.00,* 7804.11,* 7804.19,* 7804.20,* 7805.00,*
7806.00,* 7906.00, 8002.00, 8003.00, 8004.00, 8005.00, 8006.00,
8102.10, 8106.00, 8107.10, 8107.90, 8109.10, 8112.11, 8112.19,
8112.99, 8113.00, 8201.20,* 8205.60,* 8205.80, 8304.00,* 8410.11,*
8428.50, 8430.62, 8461.10, 8505.30,* 8606.20, 8606.30, 8606.92,
8711.90,* 8801.10,* 8801.90,* 8804.00, 9007.11, 9027.40, 9103.90,
9104.00,* 9106.20, 9108.91, 9112.10, 9112.80,* 9112.90,* 9201.90,*
9203.00,* 9204.10,* 9204.20,* 9304.00,* 9601.10,* 9601.90,*
9604.00,* 9605.00,* 9610.00,* 9613.30,* 9614.20,* 9614.90,*
9618.00,* 9704.00.*
Copies of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUSA), which
incorporates the international Harmonized System in its overall
structure, can be accessed in several ways. A copy of the HTSUSA can be
downloaded in compressed form (self-extracting files) at the USITC's
World Wide Web (WWW) site on the following page (URL): htt://
www.usitc.gov/taffairs.htm. An on-line readable and searchable copy of
the HTSUSA can be found at the U.S. Customs Service's WWW site, on the
following page (URL): http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/imp-exp/rulings/
harmoniz/. Hard copies and electronic copies of the HTSUSA can be found
at many of the 1,400 federal Depository Libraries located throughout
the United States and its territories; further information about these
locations can be found on the WWW at the following location (URL):
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su-docs/dips/ad[ps001.html, or by contacting
GPO Access at the Government Printing Office, 1-888-293-6498.
This proposal is part of a comprehensive review of the
international HS being carried out by the RSC. Its implementation
internationally would not necessarily require that any specific
domestic tariff rates or statistical coverage be eliminated completely
from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated
(HTSUSA). Any such consequential changes would be separately considered
by the Commission at a later date, pursuant to section 1205 of the 1988
Act.
Request for Proposals
The Commission is seeking comments on the list of proposed
deletions from the HS and, in particular, on those categories for which
the United States may request retention. No proposals for changes to
the Explanatory Notes or national-level provisions (including
Additional U.S. Notes, U.S. 8-digit subheadings, statistical
annotations and rates of duty) will be considered by the Commission as
a part of this review. Interested parties, associations and government
agencies should submit specific HS category numbers from the above list
which they feel should be retained in the HS and, for each category,
the reason for retaining the category in the international system
(including, where relevant, trade data).
Deadline
Suggestions must be received no later than the close of business,
June 20, 1997, in order to be considered by the Commission.
Written Submissions
All submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States
International Trade Commission, 500 E St., S.W., Washington, D.C.
20436. Commercial or financial information that a party desires the
Commission to treat as confidential must be submitted on separate
sheets of paper, each clearly marked ``Confidential Business
Information'' at the top. All submissions requesting confidential
treatment must conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). All
written submissions, except for confidential business information, will
be made available for inspection by interested persons.
TDD Access: Hearing impaired individuals are advised that
information on this matter can be obtained by contacting our TDD
terminal on (202) 205-1810.
World Wide Web Access: This notice, and any subsequent notices
published pursuant to section 1210 of the 1988 Act, may be obtained
from the ITC Internet web server: http://www.usitc.gov.
Issued: May 22, 1997.
By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-14061 Filed 5-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P
