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ITC's Final Report on Proposed HTS Changes for 2012 (Part 3: Ch. 6-15)

The International Trade Commission has issued a final report in connection with its investigation of proposed 2012 WCO-recommended modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S., pursuant to section 1205 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 19881. This is Part 3 of a series of summaries of these proposed modifications, and covers changes to Chapters 6-15.

(These WCO-recommended HTS changes, which are intended to be rate-neutral, are scheduled to take effect via proclamation on January 1, 2012; however, they can take effect no sooner than 30 days after the proclamation is published in the Federal Register).

Amendments to HTS Sections II-III, Chapters 6 - 15

The following are the recommended amendments to HTS Section II (Vegetable Products), covering Chapters 6-14, and Section III (Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils and their Cleavage Products; Prepared Edible Fats; Animal or Vegetable Waxes), covering Chapter 15 (see report for full descriptions/details):

Chapter 6: Live Trees and Other Plants; Bulbs, Roots and the Like; Cut Flowers and Ornamental Foliage

Chapter 7:Edible Vegetables and Certain Roots and Tubers

Chapter 8: Edible Fruit and Nuts; Peel of Citrus Fruit or Melons

Chapter 9: Coffee, Tea, Maté and Spices

Chapter 10: Cereals

Chapter 11: Products of the Milling Industry; Malt; Starches; Inulin; Wheat Gluten

Chapter 12: Oil Seeds and Oleaginous Fruits; Miscellaneous Grains, Seeds and Fruits; Industrial or Medicinal Plants; Straw and Fodder

(Note that no changes are proposed for Chapters 13 and 14.)

Chapter 15: Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils and their Cleavage Products Prepared Edible Fats; Animal or Vegetable Waxes

1Section 1205 directs the ITC to keep the HTS under continuous review and to recommend to the President modifications thereto, (1) when amendments to the international Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System, International HS), and the Protocol thereto, are recommended by the World Customs Organization (WCO) for adoption; and/or (2) as other circumstances warrant.

2General Note 4(d) lists Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country/tariff number combinations that are not eligible for GSP duty-free treatment.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/09/11 and 06/10/11 news, 11060918 and 11061006, for BP summaries of Part 1 (Overview) and Part 2 (Chapters 1-5) of this report.

See ITT's Online Archives or 03/09/11 news, 10090315, for BP summary of the ITC announcing its investigation on proposed changes to the HTS for January 2012.)

(ITC Inv. No. 1205-7 (Final Report), dated June 2010)