The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a Federal Register notice exempting Section 301 tariffs for certain List 3 (imports from China with an annual trade value of $200 billion) products. The exemptions cover one 10-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) subheading and 176 specially-prepared product descriptions, which combined cover 202 separately submitted exclusion requests.
The excluded HTS subheading is 7002.10.2000, which covers “Glass in balls (other than microspheres of heading 7018), rods or tubes, unworked: Balls: Other. The exclusions with specially-prepared product descriptions include but are not limited to: certain frozen fish; oyster shells; certain fruit and vegetable seeds; certain synthetic silica gel; multiple different chemicals and materials (CAS numbers are provided); certain parts of fences; certain types of gaskets, hoses, washers, and other seals; certain new tubeless, bias-ply pneumatic and radial pneumatic tires; certain backpacks, tote, duffel bags, and other bags; certain fishing tackle bags; certain surfboard covers; various types of paper products; yarn of cashmere or camel hair; certain polyester fabrics; certain types of bathtubs, sinks, certain faucet and shower parts; certain ceramic articles; types of tempered safety glass; certain types of rear-view mirrors; certain bird feeders; various steel articles covered in Chapter 73 of the HTS; certain kits of bits for woodworking and drilling; certain screen door cross bars; certain pistons and cylinder heads for engines; certain hydraulic and screw jacks; certain bandsaws for working wood; certain camshafts and crankshafts; certain single-phase AC electric motors; certain inductors; certain color TV cameras; certain radiobroadcast receiver kits; various types of printed circuit boards; certain digital sound processing equipment; certain steel or aluminum bumpers for off-road vehicles; certain RV vent insulators; certain aluminum radiators; certain steering gears and other steering cylinder parts for motor vehicles; certain bicycles; certain single-axle trailers with steel or aluminum frames; certain automobile seats and seat covers; certain shelving units and cabinets; and certain lamps, LED lamps and LED backlight modules.
These exclusions will apply from September 24, 2018, through August 7, 2020. These exclusions apply to any product that satisfies the description in the annex of the Federal Register notice, regardless of whether the company using the exclusion filed the request. Each exclusion is governed by the scope of the HTS heading and the product description appearing in the annex of the exclusion notice; it is not governed by the product description set out in any particular exclusion request. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon issue instructions on entry guidance and implementation. The USTR will continue to issue determinations on pending requests on a periodic basis.