03/14/2025

CBP Publishes FAQs for IEEPA Duties from China and Hong Kong

Check out this week’s Customs Corner to read about duties on goods from China and Hong Kong, Section 232 Investigations on Copper, and more.

Trade and Customs Updates

1) CBP Publishes FAQs for IEEPA Duties from China and Hong Kong

CBP has compiled a list of FAQs regarding duties on goods from China and Hong Kong, recently enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Available on CBP’s website, these FAQs cover topics such as calculating duties for goods excluded from Section 301 duties, conditions for brokers to file goods under informal entry, and the criteria for exemption eligibility based on HTS headings, among other subjects.

 

References:

IEEPA China and Hong Kong Frequently Asked Questions | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

 

2) Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 Investigations into Copper

The Secretary of Commerce has launched an investigation to assess the impact of copper imports in all forms on U.S. national security. This includes, but is not limited to, raw mined copper, copper concentrates, refined copper, copper alloys, scrap copper, and derivative products. The investigation is being conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. Interested parties are encouraged to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other relevant information to the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. This notice highlights key issues on which the Department seeks public input.

 

Comments must be received by April 1, 2025.

 

References:

Federal Register :: Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Copper

 

3) Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 Investigations into Timber

The Secretary of Commerce has launched an investigation to assess the impact of wood product imports— including timber, lumber, and their derivatives—on national security. Conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, this investigation invites interested parties to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other relevant information to the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. This notice outlines key issues on which the Department seeks public input.

 

Comments must be received by April 1, 2025.

 

References:

Federal Register :: Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Timber and Lumber

 

4) Public Comment Period of USMCA Interim Final Rule (IFR) - Implementing Regulations Related to Textiles and Apparel, Automotive Goods, Drawback Duty-Deferral, and other Provisions - Closes March 18, 2025

This notice serves as a reminder to the trade community that the public comment period for the Interim Final Rule (IFR) on the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA), published in the Federal Register (90 FRN 6456) on January 17, 2025, is set to close soon. The IFR will take effect on March 18, 2025.

 

This IFR supplements the existing 19 CFR 182 implementing regulations and other related 19 CFR provisions, covering topics such as:
(i) automotive goods,
(ii) textile and apparel goods,
(iii) drawback and duty-deferral program requirements,
(iv) recordkeeping and protest requirements,
(v) temporary admission of goods requirements,
(vi) applicable fee provisions, and
(vii) other conforming amendments to meet USMCA-related commitments.

 

Reference:

CSMS # 64393496 - REMINDER & WEBINAR: Public Comment Period of USMCA Interim Final Rule (IFR) - Implementing Regulations Related to Textiles and Apparel, Automotive Goods, Drawback Duty-Deferral, and other Provisions - Closes March 18, 2025

 

5) Canada Formaldehyde Regulations Updated

Amendments to Canada’s Formaldehyde Regulations on laminated and composite wood products are coming into force this month.  

 

The amendments:

  • Remove accreditation requirements for labs conducting routine quality control formaldehyde emissions testing
  • Revise record-keeping requirements. Declarations had been required from them to declare their products had been tested for formaldehyde emissions and were below the established limits.  Now, the declaration is only required upon request by the minister within 40 days, and sellers are no longer required to maintain declarations.
  • Align with the U.S. EPA’s TSCA Title VI Rule, by adjusting performance standards to align with the E” A’s 2023 amendments
  • Make minor changes to provide clarification to stakeholders

 

EVENTS: NCSD April 2025 Webinars

CBP NIS has announced their April Webinars. These webinars are 1 hour sessions scheduled for 1:30 pm EST. 

 

The April Webinar Schedule is below:

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025: What is “Packed” in Heading 3923? – The “What is “Packed” into Heading 3923?” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. This webinar will discuss classification in heading 3923. Heading 3923 covers plastic articles for the conveyance and packing of goods as well as stoppers, lids, caps, and other closures, of plastics.

 

Friday, April 11, 2025: Chapter 61: Let's Do it Again… It’s All About the Knit Blouse – The “Let's Do it Again... It’s All About the Knit Blouse” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. This webinar focuses on what is considered knit blouses.

 

Tuesday, April 15, 2025: Classification of Heading 8508 Vacuum CleanersThe “Classification of Heading 8508 Vacuum Cleaners” is part of the 2025 Educations Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. The webinar will explain the classification of vacuum cleaners of heading 8508 with case study approach. It will also discuss the exclusion issues on certain Chinese-origin vacuum cleaners under Section 301 remedies.

 

Wednesday, April 16, 2025: A Review of Required Info Pertaining to Headings 8519-8529 – The “A Review of Required Info Pertaining to Headings 8519-8529” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. This webinar will review the important information to look at when classifying articles of headings 8519 through 8529, to avoid circumventing duty rates and section 301 duties, as well as the necessary steps to expedite country of origin and classification ruling requests relating to these headings. Additionally, we will review common misclassification and definitions of specific terms in the tariff, including sound and video reproducing and recording, FPD, television and radiobroadcasting transmission, TV cameras, digital cameras, video recorders, radio navigational aid, radio remote control, radiobroadcasting receivers, monitors, projectors, and reception apparatus for television.

 

Tuesday, April 22, 2025: Seeing the Light: Optical Elements in Headings 9001-9005The “Seeing the Light: Optical Elements in Headings 9001-9005” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. The webinar will focus on the beginning of Chapter 90 with a primary focus on how to classify optical elements and devices covered by the headings. This will cover definitions and the appropriate manufacturing processes involved in classification therein. There are extensive duty implications with misclassifications that will aid in CBP balancing fair trade. 

 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025: Laminated Safety Glass: Windshields, Subheading 7007.21The “Laminated Safety Glass: Windshields, Subheading 7007.21” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. This webinar will focus on what should classify under subheading of 7007.21

 

Thursday, April 24, 2025: Going with The Flow: Pipes, Tubes, and Hollow ProfilesThe “Going with The Flow: Pipes, Tubes, and Hollow Profiles” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. This webinar focuses on the understanding how the classifications of steel pipes, tubes, and hollow profiles are organized in laymen’s terms.

 

Tuesday, April 29, 2025: Heading 8477: Machines for Working Rubber or PlasticsThe “Heading 8477: Machines for Working Rubber or Plastics” is part of the 2025 Education’s Commodity Specific Webinar Series hosted by the National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade. The webinar will cover various machinery for working plastic and rubber, covered by HTSUS Heading 8477, including injection molding machines, blow molding machines, vacuum molding machines, and extruders.  This presentation will also focus on the meaning of the term “working” the material and discuss common misclassification issues in this context.

 

Reference:

CSMS # 64379480 - NCSD April 2025 Webinars

 

EVENT: CBP's Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit 

May 6 - 8, 2025 | Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Two Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130


This event will be hosted in person and webcasted. Event and registration details will be available soon and posted to the TFCS Summit web page. Click here for more information.

 

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