Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 414/2

29 October 2013

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 860/2013

Chile : Guidance on Footwear Labelling Requirements

The Chilean government issued Circular No. 233/2013 on 16 August 2013 to clarify the labelling requirements for footwear.

2. Decree 17/2006 of 27 April 2006 sets out the labelling requirements of imported footwear. The labelling requirements must be: (i) a permanent indelible mark; (ii) printed or embroidered label sewn to the footwear; and (iii) self-adhesive label or support attached to the footwear. Such labels must be visible, secured and attached at least to the right foot of the footwear.

3. All imported footwear, except safety and toy footwear, are required to be labelled in the country of origin prior to imports. Circular 180/2007 of 21 June 2007 sets out the footwear which are exempted from labelling requirements:

• Slippers imported by hotels for consumption by hotel guests. The upper and lining of such slippers is usually made of 100% cotton toweling fabric with an adjustable EVA foam sole, and such slippers do not normally have standard size. A simple sworn declaration stating that the slippers will be consumed in the hotel by hotel customers and will not be commercialised must be submitted for clearance ;
• Footwear purchased online strictly for personal use and imported into Chile by a courier company;
• Footwear samples with no commercial value, classified under Chilean Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSCL) heading 0019 and subject to the provisions of section 0 of the HTSCL;
• Footwear as a gift with no commercial value, classified under HTSCL heading 0023, and with a free on board (FOB) value not exceeding USD50; and
• Sandals, ladies footwear with Hawaiian strips and similar footwear that cannot be stamped with an indelible mark or born a sewn label. Such information may be provided on a label attached to the footwear.

4. Dispatchers should verify compliance with the labelling rquirements of Decree 17/2006 before processing an import declaration. They are authorised to process an Import Private Warehouse Declaration ("Declaración de Almacén Particular de Importación" in Spanish) that would allow non-compliant footwear to be transferred to a designated warehouse for labelling.

5. For details, traders are advised to consult their importers in Chile and/or the above Chilean Decree and Circulars (in Spanish), which are available at:

Circular 180/2007:
http://www.aduana.cl/aduana/site/artic/20070927/pags/20070927180505.html

Circular 233/2013:
http://www.aduana.cl/oficio-circular-n-0233-16-08-2013/aduana/2013-08-16/120158.html.

ENQUIRIES

6. For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact Miss S Y TANG at telephone number 2398 5405.

Yours faithfully,

(Ms Cindy CHENG)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry