[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 172 (Thursday, September 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55059-55060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19507]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Notice of Effective Date of Modifications to the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States Concerning the Dominican Republic-
Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of United States Trade Representative is announcing 
the effective date of modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States (HTSUS) concerning the Dominican Republic-Central 
America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

DATES: This notice is applicable on November 1, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Senior Associate General Counsel 
Joseph Johnson at (202) 395-2464 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Section 1206(a) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 
1988 (1988 Act) (19 U.S.C. 3006(a)) authorizes the President to 
proclaim modifications to the HTSUS based on the recommendations of the 
U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) under section 1205 of the 
1988 Act (19 U.S.C. 3005) if the President determines that the 
modifications conform to U.S. obligations under the International 
Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System 
(Convention) and do not run counter to the national economic interest 
of the United States. The ITC has recommended modifications to the 
HTSUS pursuant to section 1205 of the 1988 Act to conform the HTSUS to 
amendments made to the Convention.
    Proclamation 7987 of February 28, 2006, implemented the CAFTA-DR 
with respect to the United States and, pursuant to section 201 of the 
CAFTA-DR Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4031), the staged reductions in 
duty that the President determined to be necessary or appropriate to 
carry out or apply articles 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.21, 3.26, 3.27, and 3.28, 
and Annexes 3.3 (including the schedule of United States duty 
reductions with respect to originating goods), 3.27, and 3.28 of the 
CAFTA-DR.
    The United States, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (CAFTA-DR countries) are parties to 
the Convention. Because changes to the Convention are reflected in 
slight differences of form between the national tariff schedules of the 
United States and the other CAFTA-DR countries, Annexes 4.1, 3.25, and 
3.29 of the CAFTA-DR must be changed to ensure that the tariff and 
certain other treatment accorded under the CAFTA-DR to originating 
goods will continue to be provided under the tariff categories that 
were proclaimed in Proclamation 7987. The United States and the other 
CAFTA-DR countries have agreed to make these changes.

[[Page 55060]]

    Section 201 of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act authorizes the 
President to proclaim such modifications or continuation of any duty, 
such continuation of duty-free or excise treatment, or such additional 
duties, as the President determines to be necessary or appropriate to 
carry out or apply articles 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.21, 3.26, 3.27, and 3.28, 
and Annexes 3.3 (including the schedule of United States duty 
reductions with respect to originating goods), 3.27, and 3.28 of the 
CAFTA-DR.
    In Proclamation 9555 of December 15, 2016, pursuant to section 201 
of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act and section 1206(a) of the 1988 Act 
(19 U.S.C. 3006(a)), the President proclaimed certain modifications to 
the HTSUS (see Proclamation 9555, paragraph (11)), and further 
proclaimed that the modifications would become effective on the date to 
be announced by the U.S. Trade Representative in the Federal Register, 
after the applicable conditions set forth in the CAFTA-DR have been 
fulfilled. The modifications are effective with respect to goods 
entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, 
on or after that date. See Proclamation 9555, paragraph (12). The 
modifications are set out in Annex V of Proclamation 9555.
    In Proclamation 9687 of December 22, 2017, pursuant to section 201 
of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act and section 1206(a) of the 1988 Act 
(19 U.S.C. 3006(a)), the President proclaimed certain modifications to 
the HTSUS (see Proclamation 9687, paragraph (6)), and further 
proclaimed that the modifications would become effective on the date to 
be announced by the U.S. Trade Representative in the Federal Register, 
after the applicable conditions set forth in the CAFTA-DR have been 
fulfilled. The modifications are effective with respect to goods 
entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, 
on or after that date. See Proclamation 9687, paragraph (7). The 
modifications are set out in Annex II of Proclamation 9687.

B. Announcement of the Effective Date of Modifications to the HTSUS 
Pursuant to Proclamation 9555 and Proclamation 9687

    The U.S. Trade Representative is announcing that the conditions 
referenced in paragraph (12) of Proclamation 9555 and paragraph (7) of 
Proclamation 9687 have been fulfilled and that the modifications set 
out in Annex V of Proclamation 9555 and Annex II of Proclamation 9687 
will take effect on November 1, 2020, with respect to goods entered for 
consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 
that date.

Joseph Barloon,
General Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2020-19507 Filed 9-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F0-P