On June 30, 2017, the Federal Register published Presidential Proclamation 9625 of June 29, 2017 – To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes. The Proclamation makes the following changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS):
(1) Modifies the Rates of Duty 1–Special subcolumn for the corresponding HTS subheadings as set forth in section A of Annex I to the proclamation in order to designate certain articles as eligible articles when imported from a beneficiary developing country for purposes of the GSP. These modifications are effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after July 1, 2017.
(2) Modifies the Rates of Duty 1–Special subcolumn for the corresponding HTS subheadings and general note 4(d) to the HTS as set forth in sections B, C, and D of Annex I to the proclamation in order to provide that one or more countries should no longer be treated as beneficiary developing countries with respect to one or more eligible articles for purposes of the GSP. These modifications are effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after July 1, 2017.
(3) Disregards the competitive need limitation provided in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “1974 Act”) with respect to the eligible articles in the HTS subheadings and to the beneficiary developing countries listed in Annex II to the proclamation, effective July 1, 2017.
(4) Waives the application of section 503(c)(2) of the 1974 Act to the article in the HTS subheading (4409.10.05) and to the beneficiary developing country (Brazil) set forth in Annex III to this proclamation, effective July 1, 2017.
(5) Modifies the HTS as set forth in Annex IV to the proclamation to make technical corrections necessary to reflect the suspension of benefits under the GSP with respect to Bangladesh and the termination of benefits under the GSP with respect to Venezuela. The modifications with respect to Bangladesh are effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after September 3, 2013. The modifications with respect to Venezuela are effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after January 1, 2017.
(6) Modifies the HTS as set forth in Annex V in order to make technical corrections necessary to provide the intended tariff treatment to goods covered by the Declaration in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 9466 of June 30, 2016, and to certain goods as recommended in Publications 3898 and 4653 of the International Trade Commission (ITC).
The modifications to the HTS set forth in Annex IV, Section B and Annex V to the proclamation shall be effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the dates set forth in the relevant sections of Annexes IV, and V.
Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that are inconsistent with the actions taken in the proclamation are superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.
