[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] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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