CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota (TRQ) and tariff preference level (TPL) commodity report as of February 2, 2009. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, tobacco, certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (Weekly commodity report available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
On January 15, 2009, the International Trade Commission released the public version of a report requested by the U.S. Trade Representative as part of the 2008 GSP Annual Review on the probable economic effect of possible additions to and removals from the Generalized System of Preferences.
The International Trade Commission has instituted an investigation at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative entitled Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2008 Review of Competitive Need Limit Waivers.
In late January 2009, President Bush issued Proclamation 8341, which amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to implement the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA or PFTA) effective for goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after February 1, 2009.
The International Trade Commission has instituted an investigation at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative entitled Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2008 Review of Competitive Need Limit Waivers.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing the competitive need limitation (CNL) waiver petitions that are accepted for further review and the country practice petitions that continue to be under evaluation for acceptance as part of the 2008 Generalized System of Preferences Annual Review.
CBP has posted a memorandum announcing a special import quota of 17,335,657 kg for upland cotton that is provided for in HTS Chapter 99, Subchapter III, U.S. Note 6 and is entered under HTS 9903.52.42. (CBP notes that this quantity is not subject to the tariff-rate quotas in Chapter 52 Additional U.S. Notes 5 through 10.)
On December 31, 2008, President Bush issued Proclamation 8332 to amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to implement the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (OFTA) effective for qualifying goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 1, 2009.
On December 23, 2008, the President issued Proclamation 8331 which amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) to implement the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA)1 for Costa Rica, and for other purposes.
The Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) has issued a notice requesting information, for use in preparing the eighth annual report, regarding the implementation of international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor by countries seeking benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), Caribbean Basin Trade and Partnership Act (CBTPA), the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and the Andean Trade Preference Act as amended and expanded by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPA/ATPDEA).