GSP Update: Duty-Free Treatment for Travel Goods Expanded and Additional Changes

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report | July 3, 2017

An expansion of duty-free treatment for imported travel goods and other changes to the Generalized System of Preferences will be effective as of July 1 under a new presidential proclamation.

Travel Goods. Eligibility for GSP duty-free treatment for luggage, backpacks, handbags, pockets goods (such as wallets), and other travel goods classified under the following HTSUS numbers is expanded from least-developed beneficiary developing countries and African Growth and Opportunity Act countries to all BDCs: 4202.11.00, 4202.12.21, 4202.12.40, 4202.12.81, 4202.21.60, 4202.21.90, 4202.22.15, 4202.22.45, 4202.22.81, 4202.31.60, 4202.32.40, 4202.32.80, 4202.32.93, 4202.32.99, 4202.91.90, 4202.92.15, 4202.92.20, 4202.92.31, 4202.92.39, 4202.92.45, 4202.92.91, 4202.92.97, and 4202.99.90.

According to a press release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, this change is expected to be neutral with respect to overall U.S. import levels and therefore the U.S. trade balance, though it may shift some overseas production of these products from non-GSP countries to GSP countries.

Additions. GSP duty-free treatment is newly available to products classified under the following HTSUS numbers from all beneficiary developing countries. – 1104.19.90 (rolled or flaked grains of cereals, other than of barley or oats) – 2915.90.18 (saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids) – 3301.13.00 (essential oils of lemon) – 3809.93.50 (finishing agents, dye carriers, and other preparations used in leather and like industries, < 5% by weight aromatic (mod.) substance(s)) – 3912.20.00 (cellulose nitrates (including collodions) in primary forms)

However, GSP treatment is not being granted to HTSUS 2008.20.00 (pineapples, otherwise prepared or preserved), as had been proposed.

Removals. HTSUS 2922.49.40 is deleted and replaced with two other subheadings to reflect the removal of glycine from all BDCs from GSP eligibility. In addition, other heterocyclic aromatic or modified aromatic pesticides (HTSUS 2933.99.22) from India and setts, curbstones, and flagstones of natural stone (HTSUS 6801.00.00) from Turkey are removed from GSP eligibility because they exceeded the competitive need limitation.

Continuations. GSP eligibility is continued for the following HTSUS numbers from the countries indicated that were determined to be eligible for de minimis CNL waivers.

– 0405.20.80 from India

– 0410.00.00 from Indonesia

– 0603.13.00 from Thailand

– 0710.80.50 from Turkey

– 0711.40.00 from India

– 0713.34.40 from Belize

– 0713.60.10 from India

– 0713.60.60 from India

– 0714.50.60 from Ecuador

– 0802.31.00 from Moldova

– 0802.52.00 from Turkey

– 0810.60.00 from Thailand

– 0813.40.10 from Thailand

– 0813.40.80 from Thailand

– 1103.19.14 from India

– 1601.00.40 from Brazil

– 1604.19.81 from the Philippines

– 1605.58.55 from Indonesia

– 1710.91.10 from Brazil

– 2001.90.45 from India

– 2004.90.10 from Ecuador

– 2005.80.00 from Thailand

– 2006.00.70 from Thailand

– 2008.99.50 from Thailand

– 2306.50.00 from Papua New Guinea

– 2401.10.95 from Brazil

– 2516.20.20 from India

– 2813.90.50 from India

– 2827.39.25 from India

– 2827.39.45 from India

– 2828.10.00 from India

– 2831.90.00 from India

– 2833.29.40 from Turkey

– 2834.10.10 from India

– 2840.11.00 from Turkey

– 2841.61.00 from India

– 2841.70.50 from India

– 2844.30.10 from India

– 2904.10.08 from India

– 2905.19.10 from Brazil

– 2905.49.10 from India

– 2906.19.30 from Brazil

– 2907.12.00 from India

– 2907.15.10 from India

– 2907.29.25 from India

– 2909.11.00 from India

– 2909.30.10 from India

– 2910.10.00 from India

– 2910.20.00 from Brazil

– 2912.49.10 from India

– 2913.00.50 from India

– 2914.22.20 from India

– 2914.31.00 from India

– 2914.40.10 from Brazil

– 2916.39.12 from India

– 2921.42.21 from India

– 2921.49.32 from India

– 2922.29.26 from India

– 2922.50.19 from India

– 2924.29.36 from India

– 2924.29.43 from India

– 2926.10.00 from Brazil

– 2930.90.30 from India

– 2932.20.25 from India

– 2932.99.08 from India

– 2933.99.06 from India

– 3802.90.10 from Brazil

– 3808.50.10 from India

– 3808.93.20 from India

– 3824.90.31 from Brazil

– 3824.90.32 from Brazil

– 3920.94.00 from India

– 4101.90.35 from India

– 4201.90.50 from Brazil

– 4104.11.30 from India

– 4106.21.90 from India

– 4106.22.00 from Pakistan

– 4107.11.40 from India

– 4107.11.60 from Turkey

– 4107.12.40 from India

– 4107.19.40 from India

– 4107.91.40 from India

– 4107.92.40 from India

– 4107.99.40 from India

– 4107.99.80 from Brazil

– 4202.22.35 from India

– 4302.20.60 from Brazil

– 4601.22.40 from Indonesia

– 4602.19.23 from the Philippines

– 5208.41.20 from India

– 5209.41.30 from India

– 5607.90.35 from the Philippines

– 5702.92.10 from India

– 7113.20.25 from India

– 8112.19.00 from Kazakhstan

– 8516.90.85 from Turkey

– 9205.90.14 from India

– 9614.00.26 from Egypt

In addition, the CNL is being waived for HTSUS 4409.10.05 (coniferous wood continuously shaped along any of its ends, whether or not also continuously shaped along any of its edges or faces) from Brazil, thus retaining GSP eligibility for these goods.

Bolivia. USTR has launched a self-initiated review of Bolivia’s compliance with GSP eligibility criteria regarding eliminating the worst forms of child labor and affording internationally recognized worker rights.

Other. HTSUS 0306.33.20 and 0306.93.20 from Venezuela, HTSUS 2202.90.36 from the Philippines, and HTSUS 8528.71.10 from India (effective July 1, 2016) are removed from the list of goods not eligible for GSP treatment and HTSUS 2202.99.36 from the Philippines is added to this list.

For more information, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or David Olave at (202) 730-4960.