On August 6, 2020, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a Federal Register notice announcing that for the nearly 1,000 exclusions it has granted to date for imported products from China appearing on Section 301 List 3 (Chinese goods with an annual trade value of approximately $200 billion), it will only grant extensions for 266 items. These products will continue to be excluded from the Section 301 tariff until December 31, 2020. For all other products that have previously been granted exclusions, those exclusions will expire as of midnight on August 7, 2020, and the products will again be subject to the additional Section 301 tariff.
USTR has granted extensions for 21 full Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings: (i) 0304.72.5000; (ii) 0304.83.1015; (iii) 0304.83.1020; (iv) 0304.83.5015; (v) 0304.83.5020; (vi) 0304.83.5090; (vii) 3923.21.0095; (viii) 3926.20.9050; (ix) 4015.19.1010; (x) 4819.50.4060; (xi) 5603.12.0090; (xii) 5603.14.9090; (xiii) 5603.92.0090; (xiv) 5603.93.0090; (xv) 6505.00.8015; (xvi) 8424.90.9080; (xvii) 8425.31.0100; (xviii) 8708.50.8500; (xix) 8712.00.1510; (xx) 8712.00.1520; and (xxi) 8712.00.1550. The remaining 245 product exclusion extensions are specially-prepared product descriptions fully set forth in the annex to the Federal Register notice. These product exclusion extensions cover a wide ranging list of products, including: certain frozen fruits and meats; certain chemicals and catalysts; certain plastics, rubbers and polymers; certain backpacks and duffel bags; certain household trays, bowls and plates; certain silk, and woven and non-woven fabrics; certain screen protectors, mirrors and other tempered glass products; certain outdoor grill products; various parts suitable for engines; certain hand pumps; certain fans, blowers and air compressors; certain printed circuit assemblies and circuit boards; certain electric motors and gears; certain static converters, inductors and other power supplies; certain electric fireplaces; certain digital video cameras and security systems; certain extension cords and electrical insulators and conductors; certain hitch receivers; numerous types and sizes of bicycles; certain lenses and microscopes; certain parts and accessories for meteorological instruments; certain upholstered chairs and seats as well as foldable stools; certain other chair frames and household furniture; certain shelving units and storage racks; certain baby furniture and bed rails; and certain fabric lamp shades.
USTR notes that the continuing product exclusions are available for any product satisfying the description in the annex, regardless of whether the importer filed an exclusion request. Each exclusion is governed by the scope of the 10-digit HTS subheading and product description in the annex, and is not governed by the product description set out in any particular request for exclusion.