On April 3, 2019, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register a notice [Docket No.: USCBP–2019–0012] that it has received a petition submitted on behalf of a domestic interested party requesting the reclassification, under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), of certain steel special profiles from the United Kingdom and Germany, imported for use in manufacturing forklift masts or carriages. In New York Ruling Letter (NY) N293371, dated February 8, 2018, CBP classified the steel special profiles under subheading 8431.20.00, HTSUS, as parts suitable for use solely or principally with forklifts. Petitioner contends that based on their condition as imported and the processing that needs to be undertaken after importation, the steel special profiles should be classified under subheading 7216.50.00, HTSUS, as hot-rolled nonalloy steel profile shapes. Petitioner further contends that the result of this ruling is that the products are avoiding the application of additional duties for steel imposed by Presidential Proclamation 9705 of March 8, 2018, under Section 232. The CBP document invites comments with regard to the correctness of the current classification. Comments must be received on or before May 3, 2019.
