[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 194 (Friday, October 4, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51849-51851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25463]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 10

RIN 1515-AB79


Use of Containers Designated as Instruments of International 
Traffic in Point-to-Point Local Traffic

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to amend the Customs Regulations to 
provide that certain containers which are designated as instruments of 
international traffic are deemed to remain in international traffic 
provided they exit the United States within 365 days of the date on 
which they are admitted to the U.S. For the importing community as well 
as Customs, this proposal would greatly simplify the treatment of 
containers for Customs purposes regardless of their use in domestic 
commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 3, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments (preferably in triplicate) must be 
submitted to the U.S. Customs Service, ATTN: Regulations Branch, 
Franklin Court, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C. 20229, 
and may be inspected at the Regulations Branch, 1099 14th Street, NW., 
Suite 4000, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Legal aspects: Glen E. Vereb, Entry and Carrier Rulings Branch, 
(202-482-6940).
    Operational aspects: Eileen A. Kastava, Cargo Control, (202-927-
0983).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 141.4, Customs Regulations (19 CFR 141.4), provides that 
all merchandise imported into the United States is required to be 
entered, unless specifically exempted. Section 141.4(b)(3) provides an 
exception for instruments of international traffic as described, and 
under the conditions provided for, in Sec. 10.41a, Customs Regulations 
(19 CFR 10.41a).
    Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1322, vehicles and other instruments of 
international traffic shall be excepted from the application of the 
Customs laws to such extent and subject to such terms and conditions as 
may be prescribed in regulations or instructions of the Secretary of 
the Treasury.
    The Customs Regulations issued under the authority of 19 U.S.C. 
1322 are contained in Sec. 10.41a. Section 10.41a(a)(1) designates as 
instruments of international traffic lift vans, cargo vans, shipping 
tanks, skids, pallets, caul boards, and cores for textile fabrics in 
use or to be used in the shipment of merchandise in international 
traffic.
    Section 10.41a(a)(1) also authorizes the Commissioner of Customs to 
designate as instruments of international traffic such additional 
articles or classes of articles as he shall find should be so 
designated. Instruments so designated may be released without entry or 
the payment of duty, subject to the provisions of Sec. 10.41a. 
Instruments so designated are also stated to be duty-free in subheading 
9803.00.50, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
    Section 10.41a(d) provides that if an instrument of foreign origin 
which has been increased in value or improved in condition by a process 
of manufacture or other means while abroad is released under 
Sec. 10.41a and is subsequently diverted to point-to-point local 
traffic within the United States, or is otherwise withdrawn from its 
use as an instrument of international traffic, it becomes subject to 
entry and the payment of any applicable duties.

[[Page 51850]]

    Nevertheless, Sec. 10.41a(f) states in effect that, except for the 
application of the coastwise trade laws (see Sec. 4.93, Customs 
Regulations (19 CFR 4.93)), no part of Sec. 10.41a precludes (1) the 
use of an instrument in picking up and delivering loads at intervening 
points in the United States while en route between the port of arrival 
and the port of destination of its imported cargo, (2) the use of an 
instrument while en route from such point of destination of imported 
cargo to a point where export cargo is to be loaded or to an exterior 
port of departure by a reasonably direct route to, or nearer to, the 
place of such loading or departure, or (3) the use of a ``container'' 
as defined in the Customs Convention on Containers (together with its 
normal accessories and equipment if imported therewith), when such 
container arrives empty while en route between the port of arrival and 
a point where export cargo is to be loaded or from that point to an 
exterior port of departure by a reasonably direct route to, or nearer 
to, the place of such loading or departure, provided that such point-
to-point traffic is incidental to the efficient and economical 
utilization of the instrument in the course of its use in international 
traffic.
    Section 10.41a(f) also makes clear that none of the uses enumerated 
above constitutes a diversion to unpermitted point-to-point local 
traffic within the United States or a withdrawal of an instrument from 
its use as an instrument of international traffic.
    It is proposed to amend Sec. 10.41a(f) so as to apply only to 
instruments of international traffic other than containers as defined 
in the Customs Convention on Containers. Permitted domestic traffic in 
containers which are instruments of international traffic would be 
addressed in a proposed new Sec. 10.41a(g). Current paragraphs (g), (h) 
and (i) of Sec. 10.41a would be redesignated as paragraphs (h), (i) and 
(j), respectively.
    The proposed new paragraph (g) of Sec. 10.41a would provide that 
containers, as defined in Article 1 of the Customs Convention on 
Containers (1972), are deemed to remain in international traffic 
provided they exit the U.S. within 365 days of the date on which they 
are admitted to the U.S. This would be so regardless of the fact that 
the containers may engage in point-to-point local traffic within the 
United States. An exit from the U.S., for purposes of this provision, 
would be defined as a movement across the border of the United States 
into a foreign country where either:
    (1) All merchandise is unladen from the instrument of international 
traffic; or
    (2) Merchandise is laden aboard the instrument of international 
traffic (if the instrument of international traffic is empty).
    Furthermore, the person who filed the application for release under 
Sec. 10.41a(a)(1) would be responsible for keeping and maintaining such 
records as would be necessary to establish the international movements 
of the instruments of international traffic. Such records would be 
required to be made available for inspection by Customs officials.
    Should the container not exit the U.S. within 365 days of the date 
on which it was admitted under Sec. 10.41a, it would be considered to 
have been removed from international traffic and entry for consumption 
would have to be made within 10 business days after the end of the 
month in which the container was deemed removed from international 
traffic.
    Should entry be required under Sec. 10.41a, all containers removed 
from international traffic in the same month could be listed on one 
entry. The entry could be made at any port of entry. Customs may waive 
the invoice requirement at the time of entry and may use the value of 
the instrument as carried on the books of the person making entry.
    Thus, in brief, the key change contained in this proposal is to 
allow a container (as defined in Article 1 of the Customs Convention on 
Containers) to engage in point-to-point domestic traffic provided that 
such container exits the U.S. within 365 days of the date on which it 
was admitted to the United States under Sec. 10.41a. This proposal 
would simplify the Customs treatment of containers for both the public 
and Customs in that the more difficult-to-apply requirements set forth 
in Sec. 10.41a(f) would no longer apply to containers.
    Containers specially designed and equipped for carriage by one or 
more modes of transport are duty-free under subheading 8609.00.00, 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. Therefore, Customs 
expects little or no loss of revenue to the Government under this 
proposal.
    It is noted that the amendments proposed herein are principally the 
result of written requests submitted by counsel on behalf of certain 
carrier, leasing, shipping and container companies, and a meeting 
occurring between the companies' representatives, their counsel and 
Customs officials.

Comments

    Before adopting the proposed amendments, consideration will be 
given to any written comments that are timely submitted to Customs. 
Comments submitted will be available for public inspection in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), 
Sec. 1.4, Treasury Department Regulations (31 CFR 1.4), and 
Sec. 103.11(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 103.11(b)), on regular 
business days between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the 
Regulations Branch, Franklin Court, 1099 14th Street, NW., Suite 4000, 
Washington, D.C.

Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866

    As explained in the preamble, the proposed amendments would 
simplify the Customs treatment of containers for the importing public 
in that the more difficult-to-apply requirements set forth in 
Sec. 10.41a(f) would no longer apply to containers. As such, pursuant 
to the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.), it is certified that, if adopted, the proposed amendments will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. Accordingly, the proposed amendments are not subject to the 
regulatory analysis or other requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 or 604, nor 
would they result in a ``significant regulatory action'' under E.O. 
12866.

List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 10

    Alterations, Bonds, Customs duties and inspection, Exports, 
Imports, Preference programs, Repairs, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Trade agreements.

Proposed Amendments

    It is proposed to amend part 10, Customs Regulations (19 CFR part 
10), as set forth below.

PART 10--ARTICLES CONDITIONALLY FREE, SUBJECT TO A REDUCED RATE, 
ETC.

    1. The general authority for part 10 would be revised, and the 
specific authority for Sec. 10.41a would continue, to read as follows:

    Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1202 (General Note 20, Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)), 1321, 1481, 1484, 
1498, 1508, 1623, 1624, 3314;
* * * * *
    Sections 10.41, 10.41a, 10.107 also issued under 19 U.S.C. 1322;
* * * * *
    2. It is proposed to amend Sec. 10.41a by revising paragraph (f) to 
read as follows; by redesignating paragraphs (g), (h) and (i), as (h), 
(i) and (j), respectively; and adding a new paragraph (g) to read as 
follows:

[[Page 51851]]

Sec. 10.41a  Lift vans, cargo vans, shipping tanks, skids, pallets, and 
similar instruments of international traffic; repair components.

* * * * *
    (f)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (j) of this section, an 
instrument of international traffic may be used as follows in point-to-
point traffic, provided such traffic is incidental to the efficient and 
economical utilization of the instrument in the course of its use in 
international traffic:
    (i) Picking up and delivering loads at intervening points in the 
United States while en route between the port of arrival and the point 
of destination of its imported cargo; or
    (ii) Picking up and delivering loads at intervening points in the 
United States while en route from the point of destination of imported 
cargo to a point where export cargo is to be loaded or to an exterior 
port of departure by a reasonably direct route to, or nearer to, the 
place of such loading or departure.
    (2) Neither use as enumerated in paragraph (f)(1)(i) or (ii) of 
this section constitutes a diversion to unpermitted point-to-point 
local traffic within the United States or a withdrawal of an instrument 
in the United States from its use as an instrument of international 
traffic under this section.
    (g)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (j) of this section, a 
container (as defined in Article 1 of the Customs Convention on 
Containers) which is designated as an instrument of international 
traffic is deemed to remain in international traffic provided that the 
container exits the U.S. within 365 days of the date on which it was 
admitted under this section. An exit from the U.S. in this context 
means a movement across the border of the United States into a foreign 
country where either:
    (i) All merchandise is unladen from the container; or
    (ii) Merchandise is laden aboard the container (if the container is 
empty).
    (2) The person who filed the application for release under 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section is responsible for keeping and 
maintaining such records as may be necessary to establish the 
international movements of the containers. Such records shall be made 
available for inspection by Customs officials upon reasonable notice.
    (3) If the container does not exit the U.S. within 365 days of the 
date on which it is admitted under this section, such container shall 
be considered to have been removed from international traffic, and 
entry for consumption must be made within 10 business days after the 
end of the month in which the container is deemed removed from 
international traffic. When entry is required under this section, any 
containers considered removed from international traffic in the same 
month may be listed on one entry. Such entry may be made at any port of 
entry. Customs may waive the invoice requirement at the time of entry 
and may use the value of the container as carried on the books of the 
person making entry.
* * * * *
    Dated: February 29, 1996.
George J. Weise,
Commissioner of Customs.
Dennis M. O'Connell,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 96-25463 Filed 10-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P