On August 29, 2019, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) filed a notice for public inspection at the Federal Register office that will be published on September 3* [Docket No. USTR-2019-0015] requesting comments on a proposal to increase the duties from 25% to 30% ad valorem for articles from China covered by tariff actions with an aggregate annual trade value of approximately $250 billion (lists (tranches) 1-3. The products subject to this proposed modification are specified in prior notices, and for the convenience of the public also are set out in the Annexes to the notice. USTR imposed these additional duties in three tranches. Tranche 1 covered 818 tariff subheadings, with an approximate annual trade value of $34 billion. See 83 Fed. Reg. 28710 (June 20, 2018). Tranche 2 covered 279 tariff subheadings, with an approximate annual trade value of $16 billion. See 83 Fed. Reg. 40823 (August 16, 2018). Tranche 3 covered 5,733 tariff subheadings, with an approximate annual trade value of $200 billion. See 83 Fed. Reg. 47974 (September 21, 2018); 83 Fed. Reg. 49153 (September 28, 2018); and 84 Fed. Reg. 20459 (May 9, 2019).

To be assured of consideration, written comments must be submitted by September 20, 2019. The proposed modification would be effective on October 1, 2019. USTR requests that commenters focus specifically on the proposed increase in the rate of additional duty from 25 percent to 30 percent, with an effective date of October 1, 2019. In particular, USTR invites commenters to address specifically whether increasing the rate of additional duties on one or more subheadings listed in the Annexes would be practicable or effective to obtain the elimination of China’s acts, policies, and practices, and whether increasing the rate of additional duties on a particular product listed in the Annexes would cause disproportionate economic harm to U.S. interests, including small- or medium-sized businesses and consumers.