[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 39660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14172]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Implementation of the USMCA Tariff Rate Quota for Imports of 
Sugar Containing Products of Canada

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The tariff rate quota (TRQ) for sugar containing products 
(SCPs) of Canada established by the United States-Mexico-Canada 
Agreement (USMCA or the Agreement) will be administered using export 
certificates.

DATES: The changes made by this notice are applicable as of July 1, 
2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Nicholson, Office of Agricultural 
Affairs, at [email protected] or at (202) 395-9419.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 12, 2017 (82 FR 23699), the 
President announced his intention to commence negotiations with Canada 
and Mexico to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement 
(NAFTA). On November 30, 2018, the Governments of the United States, 
Mexico, and Canada (the Parties) signed the protocol replacing NAFTA 
with the USMCA. On December 10, 2019, the Parties signed the protocol 
of amendment to the USMCA. On January 29, 2020, the President signed 
into law the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act 
(Pub. L. 116-113) (Implementation Act), through which Congress approved 
the USMCA.
    Section 103(c)(4) of the Implementation Act authorizes the 
President to take necessary actions to implement the TRQs in the 
Schedule of the United States to Annex 2-B of the Agreement, to ensure 
the orderly marketing of commodities in the United States. Under a TRQ, 
the United States applies a tariff rate, known as the ``in-quota tariff 
rate,'' to imports of a product up to a particular amount, known as the 
``in-quota quantity,'' and a different higher tariff rate, known as the 
``over-quota tariff rate,'' to imports of the product in excess of that 
amount.
    The Schedule of the United States to Annex 2-B of the Agreement 
establishes a TRQ for imports of SCPs from Canada, as set forth in 
paragraph 15 of Appendix 2. Canada has notified the Office of the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) that it intends to require 
export certificates for the exportation of SCPs under the TRQ for these 
products.
    Consistent with paragraph 15(c) of Appendix 2, the United States 
will administer the TRQ for SCPs through a certificate system 
substantially similar to that described in 15 CFR 2015.3.
    Beginning July 1, 2020, and in any subsequent calendar year unless 
USTR issues a determination that export certificates will not be 
required for that year, consistent with 15 CFR 2015.3, no SCP that is 
the product of Canada will be permitted entry under the in-quota tariff 
rate established for imports of SCPs from Canada, unless at the time of 
entry the person entering the SCP makes a declaration to U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection (CBP), in the form and manner prescribed by CBP, 
that a valid export certificate is in effect for the SCP. The 
Government of Canada will issue the export certificates. A certificate 
that meets the requirements of 15 CFR 2015.3(b), will authorize entry 
into the United States, subject to the applicable in-quota quantity, at 
the in-quota tariff-rate established under the Agreement.

Daniel Watson,
Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2020-14172 Filed 6-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F0-P