Harmonized tariff schedule

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has recommended that the President make certain modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to conform it with World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments to the global Harmonized System.

The recommended HTS amendments relate to a wide range of products and product groups, including, for example: flat panel display modules; 3D printers; unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones); electric vehicles; tobacco products intended for inhalation without combustion; edible insect products; virgin and extra virgin olive oil; cell therapy products; rapid diagnostic test kits for detecting the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases; placebos and double-blinded clinical trial kits; electronic waste (e-waste) and other hazardous waste; amusement park equipment; and cultural articles (i.e., antiquities).

The USITC’s actions are the latest step in a process that began when WCO officials approved changes to the Harmonized System nomenclature in June 2019.  Countries around the world must incorporate the changes into their national nomenclature systems.  The USITC maintains and updates the HTS, which is the United States' product category system.   

Following expiration of a 60-day layover period before the Congress, the President is authorized to proclaim the modifications to the HTS.  The amendments enter into force on January 1, 2022.

The Commission’s report, Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2021, Inv. No. 1205-13, USITC Publication 5171, March 2021, is available on the USITC web site at:  https://www.usitc.gov/publications/other/pub5171.pdf.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is soliciting written comments from interested federal agencies and the public concerning proposed modifications to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).

The proposed modifications, presented in Recommended Modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2020 (USITC publication 5139, November 2020), would conform the U.S. HTS with amendments to the global Harmonized System (HS).

The HS is the international product naming system that is used to categorize and monitor global trade in goods.  The U.S. HTS and the classification systems of 160 other countries are based on the HS, and national classification systems are modified to reflect any changes to the HS.  The USITC is responsible for maintaining the U.S. HTS.

In June 2019, the World Customs Organization (WCO) adopted a package of amendments to the HS product nomenclature.  Subsequently, in October 2019, the USITC instituted an investigation (Inv. No. 1205-13) to draft comparable modifications to the U.S. HTS. 

The USITC will finalize its recommended modifications to the HTS and submit a report to the President in March 2021.

Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission and should be submitted no later than 5:15 p.m. on December 14, 2020. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

IMPORTANT:  All filings must be made through the Commission’s Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted. Questions regarding electronic filing should be directed to the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division (EDIS3Help@usitc.gov), or consult the Commission’s Handbook on Filing Procedures.

Further information regarding written submissions is available in the USITC’s Notice of proposed recommendations and solicitation of public comments, dated November 17, 2020.  Filers are strongly encouraged to review this notice for important filing details.  The notice can be downloaded from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or commissionhearings@usitc.gov.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today instituted an investigation that will lead to recommendations to the President on necessary modifications to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) to implement recent amendments to the global Harmonized System (HS).

By statute, the USITC is required to recommend to the President modifications to the HTS to conform the HTS to amendments made to the HS.  The USITC is instituting this investigation, Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2020, to consider recommendations to make to the President.

The HS is the international product naming system that is used to categorize and monitor global trade in goods.  The U.S. HTS and the classification systems of 155 other countries are based on the HS, and they are modified to reflect any changes to the HS.  The USITC is responsible for maintaining the U.S. HTS.

On June 28, 2019, the World Customs Organization (WCO) approved a package of amendments to the HS.  A copy of the package of the WCO amendments can be viewed here.

In this investigation, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will develop proposed modifications to the HTS to reflect the WCO’s amendments to the HS and to reflect a WCO classification opinion regarding blanched peanuts.  The USITC expects to issue preliminary draft modifications to the HTS for public comment in March 2020. Following the public comment period, the USITC will finalize the necessary modifications to the HTS and submit a report to the President in October 2020. 

Further information about the investigation can be found in the notice of investigation (link to notice), dated October 1, 2019, which can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov).

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has recommended to the President that he make certain modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to conform it with World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments to the global Harmonized System.

The modifications concern the classification of edible fish offal; new subdivisions for coniferous and non-coniferous wood and new HTS subheadings for certain wood of pine, fir, spruce, beech, birch, poplar, aspen, and eucalyptus; and certain bed-nets of warp knit fabrics. 

The USITC’s actions are the latest step in a process that began when WCO officials approved changes to the Harmonized System nomenclature in June 2015.  Countries around the world must incorporate the changes into their own nomenclature systems.  The USITC maintains and updates the HTS, which is the United States' product category system.    

Following expiration of a 60-day layover period before the Congress, the President is authorized to proclaim the modifications to the HTS.  The amendments will enter into force on January 1, 2018.

The Commission’s report, Commission Recommendations to the President to Modify the Tariff Nomenclature in Chapters 3, 44, and 63 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, Inv. No. 1205-12, USITC Publication 4621, July 2016, is available on the USITC web site at:  https://www.usitc.gov/publications/tariff_affairs/pub4621.pdf.

International customs officials at the World Customs Organization (WCO) have agreed to category changes within the global Harmonized System, which categorizes products that are imported and exported around the world, for certain fish, wood and wood products, and bed nets of warp knit fabrics.  Countries are now beginning their individual processes to incorporate those changes into their own domestic product category systems.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) maintains and updates the United States' product category system, the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).  The USITC today instituted an investigation that will lead to recommendations to the President on necessary modifications to the U.S. HTS for these products.

The U.S. and other countries have until January 1, 2018, to incorporate the changes.  The USITC has posted the WCO document outlining the changes on its website at: http://www.usitc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/wco_council_recommendation_june_11_2015.pdf.  As a first step, importers and exporters can view the document to determine whether they are affected.

The USITC expects to issue proposed recommendations on HTS category changes for the products in February 2016.  At that time, the USITC will seek public comments on the proposed recommendations.  Detailed information on how to submit comments and related deadlines will be provided at that time.

The USITC will consider all public comments, as well as comments from other U.S. agencies, in making its final recommendations.  The recommendations will be submitted to the President (through the U.S. Trade Representative) by July 2016.  Following expiration of a 60 day layover period before the Congress, the President may proclaim the modifications to the HTS.

More information about the USITC investigation can be found in the notice of investigation dated October 2, 2015.

The USITC has released A Guide to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, a web- based, interactive e-learning module to help users become familiar with and learn how to read the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

The e-learning module, originally developed as an in-house training tool for new USITC staff, will guide users through web-based lessons to help them understand the HTS and how it is structured. The USITC fields hundreds of calls a year from importers, businesses, and citizens seeking information about classifying merchandise in the HTS.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the trading community use the HTS to determine tariff classifications and duty treatment for goods imported into the United States. The USITC plays a unique role in maintaining the HTS. The USITC also advises the United States Trade Representative and the Congress about proposals that might modify any or all of the thousands of product categories and duty rates.

The USITC HTS e-learning module consists of four lessons, which provide information about:

• * the purpose of the HTS and its role in U.S. trade and product classification;
• * how to read the HTS;
• * how to determine duty rates and access the HTS Online Reference Tool; and
• * special HTS provisions, such as those resulting from trade agreements and other special programs.

Each lesson includes a review section to ensure users have accurately digested the lesson's information.

The e-learning module also includes useful resources and links to other relevant information, including a glossary of terms, a library of links to related or more advanced information on a number of the topics covered in the lessons, and the HTS itself.

The USITC's e-learning module, A Guide to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States can be accessed at http://www.usitc.gov/elearning/hts/menu/. The USITC welcomes feedback on the HTS e-learning module from users at hts_elearning.module@usitc.gov.