On August 28, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the extension of numerous product exclusions from the Section 301 tariffs for imports from China appearing on List 4A (products from China with an annual trade value of $300 billion). The exemptions include 14 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings and 73 specially prepared product descriptions, which cover various product exclusions issued in eight prior USTR notices for List/Tranche 4A.

These product exclusion extensions will apply until December 31, 2020. These exclusions continue to 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 description set out in any particular exclusion request.

The fourteen excluded HTS subheadings are:

  • 0505.10.0050
  • 0505.10.0055
  • 3401.19.0000
  • 3926.90.9910
  • 4015.19.0510
  • 4015.19.0550
  • 4818.90.0000 prior to July 1, 2020; 4818.90.0020 or 4818.90.0080 effective July 1, 2020
  • 5210.11.4040
  • 5210.11.6020
  • 5504.10.0000
  • 6210.10.5000
  • 6307.90.6090
  • 6307.90.6800
  • 6506.10.6030

The 73 specially prepared product descriptions include: cynomolgus macaques; certain feathers used for stuffing; sodium alginate resins; certain shower heads of plastic; certain surgical molded plastic bowls; certain plastic coverings for wound sites; certain sterile pads, covers and plastics for medical purposes; certain wallpaper; certain women’s, men’s and children’s bath robes; various baby fabrics and sleep items; certain blankets, dust covers; certain cold packs and hot packs; disposable shoe covers; face masks and particulate facepiece respirators; certain medical masks; certain single-use medical items; certain sewing machines; certain gas powered augers; certain tracking devices and other wireless communication devices; certain watch cases and dials; certain acoustic upright and grand pianos; parts of child safety seats; arrowheads of metal; certain brushes and hair bristles; certain painting; postage stamps; and collectors’ pieces of mineralogical interest.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will soon issue instructions on entry guidance and implementation. The USTR will continue to issue determinations on pending requests on a periodic basis.  If other List 4A product exclusions issued since October 2019 are not included in this current list of extensions, the exclusions will expire on September 1, 2020.