[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29150-29151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14061]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION


Possible Modifications to the International Harmonized System 
Nomenclature

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Request for public comments on proposal to delete certain low-
trade categories from the Harmonized System.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is soliciting the views of interested parties 
on a proposal before the Review Subcommittee (RSC) of the World Customs 
Organization (WCO), Brussels, Belgium, to delete certain low-trade 
headings and subheadings from the international Harmonized Commodity 
Description and Coding System (Harmonized System or HS).

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 21, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene A. Rosengarden, Director, 
Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (O/TA&TA) (202/205-2595, 
E-Mail [email protected]) or Ronald Heller (202/205-2596, E-Mail 
[email protected]). The O/TA&TA fax number is 202/205-2616.

Background

    The Harmonized System was established by an international 
Convention, which, inter alia, provides that the System should be kept 
up-to-date in light of changes in technology and patterns of 
international trade. The international HS nomenclature, which is 
administered by the WCO, provides a uniform structural basis for the 
customs tariff and statistical nomenclatures of all major trading 
countries of the world, including the United States. The Commission, 
the U.S. Customs Service and the Bureau of the Census are responsible 
for the development of U.S. technical proposals concerning the HS under 
section 1210 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the 
1988 Act) (19 U.S.C. 3010). A 1988 notice issued by the United States 
Trade Representative (53 FR 45646, November 10, 1988), establishes the 
Commission as the lead U.S. agency in considering proposals for HS 
amendments that are intended to ensure that it reflects such changes in 
technology and trade.
    In November 1996, the WCO decided provisionally to implement the 
next series of amendments to the nomenclature by the year 2002. As part 
of the current review cycle, the RSC requested that the WCO Secretariat 
develop a list of four-digit headings and six-digit subheadings for 
which world trade in each category did not exceed US$100 million and 
US$20 million, respectively. Based on preliminary trade data for 
calendar year 1993 provided by the United Nations Statistical Office 
(UNSO), the WCO Secretariat recently published a list of approximately 
500 HS headings and subheadings that showed world trade below those 
thresholds. On this basis, the Subcommittee will consider deleting 
these headings and subheadings from the HS. The Subcommittee noted that 
as more recent data become available many of the categories would 
automatically be dropped from the list of possible deletions and 
thereby be retained in the HS. Additionally, each country was invited 
to examine the list and indicate to the Subcommittee each category 
which that country feels should be retained because (1) more recent 
trade data available to that country reveals that the category in fact 
exceeds the threshold or (2) international concern over environmental, 
social or economic issues necessitates monitoring global trade on 
products in the category despite the low volume of trade. Beginning in 
its 16th session (September 1997) the Subcommittee will examine the 
Secretariat's list and all national requests for retention of 
individual categories.
    The following is a list of the headings (ending with double zeros) 
and subheadings as provided by the Secretariat. Items in the list 
marked with an asterisk (*) are those for which the Commission is 
proposing that the United States request retention.

0101.20,* 0206.80,* 0209.00,* 0301.91, 0302.31,* 0302.33,* 0302.61,* 
0302.66,* 0303.76,* 0303.77,* 0305.10, 0305.42, 0307.51,* 0501.00,* 
0502.10,* 0502.90,* 0503.00,* 0507.10,* 0604.10, 0709.52, 0709.70, 
0711.10, 0802.21, 0810.30, 0812.20, 0814.00, 0903.00,* 0906.20,* 
0907.00,* 0908.10,* 0908.20,* 0908.30,* 0909.40,* 0909.50,* 
0910.30,* 0910.40,* 0910.50,* 1102.10, 1103.12, 1103.14, 1103.21, 
1103.29, 1104.11, 1104.21, 1104.22, 1106.10, 1106.20, 1106.30, 
1108.20, 1203.00, 1207.10, 1207.30, 1207.92, 1209.19, 1209.26, 
1212.91, 1212.92, 1402.10, 1402.90, 1403.10, 1403.90, 1503.00, 
1504.30,* 1505.10, 1505.90, 1506.00,* 1510.00,* 1515.60, 1521.10, 
1521.90, 1522.00, 1602.10,* 1603.00,* 1802.00, 1902.40, 1903.00, 
2001.20, 2003.20, 2005.10, 2006.00,* 2009.50, 2205.90,* 2209.00,* 
2302.20, 2302.50, 2307.00, 2308.10, 2502.00, 2504.90,* 2506.10, 
2506.21, 2506.29, 2509.00, 2511.20, 2512.00, 2513.11, 2513.19, 
2513.20, 2514.00, 2515.20,* 2516.21, 2516.22, 2517.20,* 2518.30, 
2522.30,* 2525.10, 2525.20, 2525.30, 2527.00, 2530.40, 2605.00, 
2611.00, 2612.10,* 2612.20,* 2617.10,* 2617.90,* 2620.50,* 2621.00, 
2702.10, 2705.00, 2706.00, 2707.20, 2708.20, 2802.00,* 2804.80,* 
2804.90,* 2805.22,* 2805.40,* 2806.10, 2806.20, 2808.00, 2809.10, 
2812.10,* 2812.90,* 2815.30, 2816.10,* 2816.20,* 2816.30,* 2821.20, 
2824.20,* 2824.90,* 2826.20, 2827.33, 2827.34,* 2827.35,* 2827.36,* 
2827.38,* 2827.51, 2829.19, 2830.10, 2830.20,* 2830.30,* 2830.90,* 
2831.90, 2832.30, 2833.30,* 2834.22,* 2836.70,* 2837.20,* 2838.00,* 
2839.20, 2841.20,* 2841.40,* 2841.50,* 2844.30,* 2844.50,* 2845.10,* 
2845.90,* 2848.00,* 2851.00,* 2903.16, 2903.62, 2907.30, 2909.20, 
2911.00, 2912.13, 2912.21, 2912.50, 2913.00, 2914.21, 2915.22, 
2918.17, 2921.12, 2939.70, 3001.10, 3101.00, 3102.70, 3103.20, 
3104.10, 3205.00, 3211.00, 3301.26, 3601.00, 3605.00, 3606.10, 
3606.90, 3702.91, 3702.92, 3704.00, 3706.90, 3803.00, 3805.10,* 
3805.20,* 3805.90,* 3807.00, 3813.00, 3817.20, 4002.80, 4003.00, 
4004.00, 4017.00, 4107.21, 4108.00, 4110.00, 4204.00,* 4206.10, 
4206.90,* 4301.20, 4301.30, 4301.40, 4301.50, 4301.70, 4301.90, 
4302.12, 4304.00, 4404.10, 4404.20, 4405.00, 4406.10, 4406.90, 
4411.31, 4411.39, 4413.00, 4416.00, 4501.10, 4501.90, 4502.00, 
4601.10, 4601.99, 4704.19, 4807.10, 4812.00, 4815.00, 4817.20, 
4904.00, 4905.10, 4905.91, 4905.99, 5001.00, 5006.00,* 5103.30, 
5104.00, 5105.40, 5109.10, 5109.90,* 5110.00, 5113.00, 5202.91, 
5203.00, 5204.19,* 5205.35,* 5206.13,* 5206.15,* 5206.21,* 5206.25,* 
5206.31,* 5206.33,* 5206.34,* 5206.35,* 5206.41,* 5206.43,* 
5206.44,* 5210.12,* 5211.21,* 5211.22,* 5211.29,* 5211.41,* 
5211.42,* 5211.43,* 5211.52,* 5212.12,* 5212.21,* 5212.22,* 
5212.24,*

[[Page 29151]]

5302.10, 5302.90, 5303.10, 5303.90, 5304.10, 5304.90, 5305.11, 
5305.19, 5305.21, 5305.29, 5305.91, 5305.99, 5308.10, 5308.20,* 
5308.30, 5310.90,* 5405.00, 5406.10,* 5406.20,* 5407.30,* 5505.20, 
5507.00, 5508.20,* 5511.10,* 5511.20,* 5511.30,* 5512.21,* 5513.32,* 
5513.33,* 5513.42,* 5513.43,* 5514.13,* 5514.31,* 5514.32,* 
5514.33,* 5514.42,* 5515.92,* 5516.31,* 5516.34,* 5605.00, 5607.30, 
5702.39,* 5702.51,* 5702.59,* 5801.24,* 5801.26,* 5801.32,* 
5801.34,* 5802.20,* 5803.10,* 5803.90,* 5804.30,* 5805.00,* 
5809.00,* 5901.10,* 5901.90,* 5904.91, 5904.92, 5905.00,* 5908.00, 
5909.00, 6002.41,* 6101.90,* 6102.90,* 6103.11,* 6103.12,* 6103.19,* 
6103.21,* 6103.29,* 6103.31,* 6103.39,* 6103.41,* 6104.11,* 
6104.12,* 6104.19,* 6104.29,* 6107.19,* 6107.29,* 6107.92,* 
6107.99,* 6108.39,* 6108.99,* 6111.10,* 6111.90,* 6112.19,* 
6112.20,* 6112.39,* 6116.99,* 6117.20,* 6203.21,* 6209.10,* 
6213.10,* 6213.90,* 6215.90,* 6301.10,* 6302.29,* 6302.59,* 
6302.92,* 6302.93,* 6302.99,* 6303.11,* 6303.19,* 6304.11,* 
6305.90,* 6306.11,* 6306.19,* 6306.39, 6306.41, 6306.91, 6306.99, 
6308.00,* 6406.91, 6501.00,* 6502.00,* 6503.00,* 6504.00,* 6505.10, 
6506.92, 6507.00, 6602.00,* 6701.00,* 6703.00,* 6704.90,* 6808.00, 
6811.30, 6811.90, 6812.10, 6812.20, 6812.30, 6812.40, 6812.50, 
6812.60, 6814.10, 6814.90, 6901.00, 6905.90,* 6906.00,* 7001.00, 
7003.30, 7012.00, 7105.90,* 7107.00, 7109.00, 7110.41, 7110.49, 
7111.00, 7118.10, 7118.90, 7202.80, 7227.20, 7229.20,* 7302.20, 
7313.00,* 7316.00,* 7401.10, 7401.20, 7403.23, 7405.00, 7414.20, 
7414.90,* 7415.10, 7415.21, 7415.31, 7416.00, 7417.00,* 7505.11, 
7505.21, 7507.11, 7507.20, 7603.10, 7603.20, 7611.00, 7613.00, 
7802.00,* 7803.00,* 7804.11,* 7804.19,* 7804.20,* 7805.00,* 
7806.00,* 7906.00, 8002.00, 8003.00, 8004.00, 8005.00, 8006.00, 
8102.10, 8106.00, 8107.10, 8107.90, 8109.10, 8112.11, 8112.19, 
8112.99, 8113.00, 8201.20,* 8205.60,* 8205.80, 8304.00,* 8410.11,* 
8428.50, 8430.62, 8461.10, 8505.30,* 8606.20, 8606.30, 8606.92, 
8711.90,* 8801.10,* 8801.90,* 8804.00, 9007.11, 9027.40, 9103.90, 
9104.00,* 9106.20, 9108.91, 9112.10, 9112.80,* 9112.90,* 9201.90,* 
9203.00,* 9204.10,* 9204.20,* 9304.00,* 9601.10,* 9601.90,* 
9604.00,* 9605.00,* 9610.00,* 9613.30,* 9614.20,* 9614.90,* 
9618.00,* 9704.00.*

    Copies of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUSA), which 
incorporates the international Harmonized System in its overall 
structure, can be accessed in several ways. A copy of the HTSUSA can be 
downloaded in compressed form (self-extracting files) at the USITC's 
World Wide Web (WWW) site on the following page (URL): htt://
www.usitc.gov/taffairs.htm. An on-line readable and searchable copy of 
the HTSUSA can be found at the U.S. Customs Service's WWW site, on the 
following page (URL): http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/imp-exp/rulings/
harmoniz/. Hard copies and electronic copies of the HTSUSA can be found 
at many of the 1,400 federal Depository Libraries located throughout 
the United States and its territories; further information about these 
locations can be found on the WWW at the following location (URL): 
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su-docs/dips/ad[ps001.html, or by contacting 
GPO Access at the Government Printing Office, 1-888-293-6498.
    This proposal is part of a comprehensive review of the 
international HS being carried out by the RSC. Its implementation 
internationally would not necessarily require that any specific 
domestic tariff rates or statistical coverage be eliminated completely 
from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated 
(HTSUSA). Any such consequential changes would be separately considered 
by the Commission at a later date, pursuant to section 1205 of the 1988 
Act.

Request for Proposals

    The Commission is seeking comments on the list of proposed 
deletions from the HS and, in particular, on those categories for which 
the United States may request retention. No proposals for changes to 
the Explanatory Notes or national-level provisions (including 
Additional U.S. Notes, U.S. 8-digit subheadings, statistical 
annotations and rates of duty) will be considered by the Commission as 
a part of this review. Interested parties, associations and government 
agencies should submit specific HS category numbers from the above list 
which they feel should be retained in the HS and, for each category, 
the reason for retaining the category in the international system 
(including, where relevant, trade data).

Deadline

    Suggestions must be received no later than the close of business, 
June 20, 1997, in order to be considered by the Commission.

Written Submissions

    All submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States 
International Trade Commission, 500 E St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20436. Commercial or financial information that a party desires the 
Commission to treat as confidential must be submitted on separate 
sheets of paper, each clearly marked ``Confidential Business 
Information'' at the top. All submissions requesting confidential 
treatment must conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). All 
written submissions, except for confidential business information, will 
be made available for inspection by interested persons.
    TDD Access: Hearing impaired individuals are advised that 
information on this matter can be obtained by contacting our TDD 
terminal on (202) 205-1810.
    World Wide Web Access: This notice, and any subsequent notices 
published pursuant to section 1210 of the 1988 Act, may be obtained 
from the ITC Internet web server: http://www.usitc.gov.

    Issued: May 22, 1997.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-14061 Filed 5-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P