[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22990-22991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10954]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Rectifications to the NAFTA Rules of Origin Set Forth in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of rectifications to the NAFTA rules of origin set forth 
in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative is 
providing notice of certain rectifications to the rules of origin for 
goods covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as 
set forth in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). 
These rectifications are intended to maintain consistency between the 
HTS and the NAFTA rules of origin.

DATES: The effective date of the rectifications set forth in this 
notice are indicated in the appendix to this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William L. Busis, Associate General Counsel, (202) 395-3150, 600 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At a meeting of the NAFTA Commission held on 
March 20, 1997, the governments of the United States of America, the 
United Mexican States, and Canada (the NAFTA Parties) agreed to certain 
technical rectifications to the NAFTA rules of origin contained in 
Annex 401 of the NAFTA. These rectifications were developed by the 
NAFTA Working Group on Rules of Origin, and are intended to maintain 
consistency between Annex 401 and the tariff schedules of the NAFTA 
Parties. The appendix to this notice embodies these Annex 401 
rectifications in the NAFTA rules of origin set forth in general note 
12(f) of the HTS.
    Proclamation 6969 of January 27, 1997 (62 FR 4415, January 29, 
1997) authorized the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to 
exercise the authority provided to the President under Section 604 of 
the Trade Act of 1974 (the 1974 Act), as amended by Pub. L. 100-418, 88 
Stat. 2073 (19 U.S.C. 2483), to embody rectifications, technical or 
conforming changes, or similar modifications in the HTS. Under 
authority vested in USTR by Proclamation 6969 and the authority vested 
in the President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, 
including, but not limited to, section 604 of the 1974 Act and section 
202(q) of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 
(19 U.S.C. 3332(q)), the rectifications, technical or conforming 
changes, and similar modifications set forth in the appendix to this 
notice shall be embodied in the HTS with respect to goods entered, or 
withdrawn form warehouse for consumption, on or after

[[Page 22991]]

the effective date specified in the appendix.

    Dated: April 15, 1997.
Charlene Barshefsky,
United States Trade Representative.

Appendix

    Effective with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse for April 28, 1997 consumption, on or after April 28, 1997 
general note 12(t) to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States is modified as follows:
    1. The tariff classification rule (TCR) for chapter 82 reading 
``A change to headings 8201 through 8215 from any other chapter.'' 
is deleted, and the following new rules are set forth in numerical 
sequence immediately below the expression ``chapter 82.'':
    ``1. A change to heading 8201 from any other chapter.
    2. A change to subheadings 8202.10 through 8202.20 from any 
other chapter.
    3. (A) A change to subheading 8202.31 from any other chapter or
    (B) A change to subheading 8202.31 from subheading 8202.39, 
whether or not there is also a change from any other chapter, 
provided there is a regional value content of not less than:

(1) 60 percent where the transaction value method is used, or
(2) 50 percent where the net cost method is used.

    A change to subheadings 8202.39 through 8202.99 from any other 
chapter.
    5. A change to headings 8203 through 8206 from any other 
chapter.
    6. (A) A change to subheading 8207.13 from any other chapter; or
    (B) A change to subheading 8207.13 from subheading 8207.19, 
whether or not there is also a change from any other chapter, 
provided there is a regional value content of not less than:

(1) 60 percent where the transaction value method is used, or
(2) 50 percent where the net cost method is used.

    7. A change to subheadings 8207.19 through 8207.90 from any 
other chapter.
    8. A change to headings 8208 through 8210 from any other 
chapter.
    9. A change to subheading 8211.10 from any other chapter.
    10. (A) A change to subheadings 8211.91 through 8211.93 from any 
other chapter; or
    (B) A change to subheadings 8211.91 through 8211.93 from 
subheading 8211.95, whether or not there is also a change from any 
other chapter, provided there is a regional value content of not 
less than:

(1) 60 percent where the transaction value methods is use, or
(2) 50 percent where the net cost method is used.

    11. A change to subheadings 8211.94 through 8211.95 from any 
other chapter.
    12. A change to headings 8212 through 8215 from any other 
chapter.''
    2. TCR 11 for chapter 84 is modified by deleting ``8406.11'' and 
by inserting in lieu thereof ``8406.10''.
    3. TCR 229 for chapter 84 is modified by deleting ``8479.81'' at 
each instance and by inserting in lieu thereof ``8479.82''.
    4. TCR 230 for chapter 84 is deleted.
    5. TCR 231 for chapter 84 is deleted and the following new TCR 
231 is inserted in lieu thereof:

``231. A change to tariff item 8479.89.55 from any other tariff 
items, except from tariff items 8479.90.45, 8479.90.55, 8479.90.65 
or 8479.90.75, or combinations thereof.''

    6. TCR 8 for chapter 85 is modified by deleting ``8504.90.70'' 
and by inserting in lieu thereof ``8504.90.40''.
    7. TCR 90 for chapter 85 is modified by deleting ``8528.12.60,'' 
and by inserting in lieu thereof ``8428.12.62.''.
    8. TCR 119 for chapter 85 is deleted and the following new TRC 
119 is inserted in lieu thereof:
    ``119. (A) A change to tariff item 8536.50.40 from any other 
tariff item, except from tariff item 8538.90.40; or
    (B) A change to tariff item 8536.50.40 from tariff item 
8538.90.40 whether or not there is also a change from any other 
tariff item, provided there is a regional value content of not less 
than:

(1) 60 percent where the transaction value method is used, or
(2) 50 percent where the net cost method is used.''

    9. TCRs 7 and 8 for chapter 95 are deleted and the following new 
TCR 7 is inserted in lieu thereof:
    ``7. A change to subheadings 9506.32 through 9506.39 from any 
other chapter.''
[FR Doc. 97-10954 Filed 4-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M