CBP Announces 2008 TPL
for
Certain Non-Originating Cotton/MMF
Apparel from Singapore
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice announcing the
2008 tariff preference level (TPL) for certain cotton or man-made fiber
(MMF) apparel goods, or apparel goods subject to cotton or MMF restraints, the
foregoing that are both cut (or knit-to-shape) and sewn or otherwise assembled
in Singapore from fabric or yarn produced or obtained outside the territory of
Singapore or of the U.S. (“third country”).
This TPL, which provides lower
duty rates, is pursuant to the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SFTA), and
is provided for in HTS Chapter 99, Subchapter X, U.S. Note 13.
According to CBP, the 2008 Singapore TPL is for the period of January 1,
2008 through December 31, 2008 and opens on January 2, 2008. The TPL limit for
this time period is 12,500,000 square meters equivalent (SME).
(Pursuant to Presidential
Proclamation 7747 on the SFTA, this TPL covers subject apparel goods provided
for in 282 eight-digit HTS Chapters 61 and 62 tariff numbers, which are
assigned variously, to one of 25 different duty rate subdivisions, as specified
in HTS 9910.61.01 through 9910.61.89. These duty rates have decreased
each year, and will be zero in 2008. In addition, the TPL quantities
decrease each year, until they are zero in 2012. See ITT’s Online Archives
or 01/06/04 news, (Ref: 04010605) for BP summary of the SFTA Proclamation).
Certificate of Eligibility,
eCERT Transmission Required
CBP states that an original Certificate of Eligibility must be submitted
to CBP when making a TPL claim. (See CBP's notice for details.) CBP adds that
an electronic certification (eCERT) transmission will be required from the
Government of Singapore.
CBP contact - Michelle
Videlock (202) 863-6511
QBT-07-009 (dated 12/17/07)
available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/import/textiles_and_quotas/qbts/qbt2007/07_009.ctt/07_009.doc
BP Notes
1.
As of
December 14, 2007, the 2007 TPL for subject apparel from Singapore was 84.1%
filled and was not estimated to close early.
2. Proclamation 8039, which was issued on July
27, 2006 to modify the HTS for the Bahrain FTA and for other purposes, amended
U.S. Note 2 to Subchapter XXII, HTS Chapter 98, in order to extend SFTA
duty-free treatment under 9822.01.25 to certain apparel made of specific yarns
or fabrics.
These yarn and fabric inputs were found to be commercially unavailable
under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Caribbean Basin Trade
Partnership Act (CBTPA), and/or the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication
Act (ATPDEA). (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/27/06 news, (Ref: 06112710),
for BP summary (final) of the BFTA Proclamation. See ITT's Online Archives or
06/23/05 news, (Ref: 05062335), for BP summary of an ITC report on these SFTA
changes, etc.)
3. In June 2007 CBP issued an interim rule adding a new Subpart I to 19
CFR Part 10 and amending 19 CFR Parts 10, 24, 162, 163, and 178 regarding the
preferential tariff treatment and other customs-related provisions of the SFTA.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/18/07 news, (Ref: 07061820), for Part III
of BP's summary of this interim rule, which deals with provisions related to
the SFTA "third country" TPL. See ITT's Online Archives or 06/25/07
news, (Ref: 07062520), for the final part of BP's summary on this interim rule,
with links to the previous parts.)
Published in ITT on December 26, 2007 | [Ref: 07122620] |
Copyright 1997 - 2007 by Broker Power, Inc. | All Rights Reserved |
