The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), after seeking comments on whether to extend for another year certain product exclusions it granted in April 2019 (see Trump and Trade Update of February 5, 2020), has granted eight extensions covering the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings and product descriptions:

  • Roller machines designed for cutting, etching or embossing paper, foil or fabric, manually powered (described in statistical reporting number 8420.10.9080);
  • Ratchet winches designed for use with textile fabric strapping (described in statistical reporting number (8425.39.0100);
  • Counterweight castings of iron or steel designed for use on fork lift and other work trucks (described in statistical reporting number 8431.20.0000);
  • Tines, carriages, and other goods handling apparatus and parts designed for use on fork lift and other works trucks (described in statistical reporting number 8431.20.0000);
  • Reject doors, pin protectors, liners, front walls, grates, hammers, rotor and end disc caps, and anvil and breaker bars, of iron or steel, the foregoing parts of metal shredders (described in statistical reporting number 8479.90.9496);
  • Steering wheels designed for watercraft, of stainless steel, having a wheel diameter exceeding 27 cm but not exceeding 78 cm (described in statistical reporting number 8479.90.9496);
  • Pipe brackets of aluminum, each with four ports, the foregoing measuring 27.9 cm x 20.3 cm x 17.8 cm and weighing 11.34 kg, designed for installation into air brake control valves (described in statistical reporting number 8481.90.9040); and
  • Instruments for measuring or checking voltage or electrical connections; electrical circuit tracers (described in statistical reporting number 9030.33.3800).

These HTS subheadings and products are currently subject to the Section 301 25 percent tariff covering Chinese products imported into the United States worth approximately $34 billion (List 1), and their exclusions to the tariff were set to expire on April 18, 2020. With this extension, such products entering the United States for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after July 6, 2018 and before April 18, 2021, will continue to be excluded from the additional duty. All other Section 301 exclusions granted in April 2019 will expire as of midnight, April 18, 2020 (see Trump and Trade Update of April 18, 2019).