The USITC posted a new electronic edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) on January 1, 2012.

This online edition of the HTS is preliminary, however, and will be updated again on February 3, 2012. The updated version will be printed and available for purchase from the Government Printing Office a few weeks thereafter.

The preliminary version of the HTS as posted reflects:

• 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 February 3, 2012, update (online and hardcopy versions) will reflect 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 will not be 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).

As a courtesy, the USITC has posted information about the pending 2012 HS updates. USITC Publication 4276 reflects the legal amendments to the HTS that the President proclaimed.

Supplements to the 2012 HTS are expected during the year. Watch this space or the HTS page for updates as they become available.