The official 2012 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) is now available on the USITC website.

This update reflects changes that conform the U.S. HTS with updates to the international Harmonized System (HS), which were recommended by the World Customs Organization. The 2012 HS updates took effect internationally on January 1, 2012, but did not become effective in the United States until February 3, 2012 (U.S. law requires a 30-day wait after the President's implementing proclamation appears in the Federal Register, which in this case was January 4, 2012).

The official 2012 version also includes changes that were included in a preliminary version posted on the USITC website from January 1 through February 3. They include:

• statistical changes approved by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of the Tariff Schedules (also known as the "484(f)" committee, which analyzes and evaluates petitions requesting changes in HTS statistical reporting categories), that went into effect on January 1, 2012;
• staging of preferential duty rates applicable under existing (already proclaimed) free trade agreements that became effective on January 1, 2012;
• a few GSP amendments that were proclaimed by the President on December 29, 2011; and
• changes resulting from the Commission's investigation number 1205-8, relating to certain footwear, which became effective on December 3, 2011.

The printed version of the 2012 HTS will be available within a few weeks and can be ordered from the Government Printing Office.