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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref. : EIC 111/2/18
EIC 111/3
EIC 111/3/13
CR EIC 111/1/13/3

5 August 2019
(updated on 8 August 2019)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 594/2019

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$200 billion - First Batch of Products Excluded from 25% Tariffs

Further to Commercial Information Circular (CIC) Nos. 426/2019 and 464/2019 of 3 June 2019 and 20 June 2019 respectively regarding the implementation of additional 25% tariffs by the US on certain Mainland products worth approximately US$200 billion ("List 3") under the Section 301 investigation and the related product exclusion request process, the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 2 August 2019 the first batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs and the official Federal Register (FR) notice was issued on 7 August 2019. These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place one year after the publication of the FR notice. The USTR will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis.

DETAILS

2.On 24 September 2018, the US imposed an additional tariff of 10% on Mainland imports worth approximately US$200 billion ("List 3") under the Section 301 investigation. The tariff was increased from 10% to 25% on 10 May 2019. The USTR also initiated an exclusion process for stakeholders to submit requests for the exclusion of specific products from the additional tariffs.

3.Subsequently, the USTR announced on 2 August 2019 the first batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include 10 specially prepared product descriptions, covering container units of plastics; injection molded polypropylene plastic caps or lids; kayak paddles; high tenacity polyester yarn; nonwovens; pet cages of steel; carts; truck trailer skirt brackets; inflatable boats and inflatable kayaks and canoes.

4.These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place one year after the publication of the FR notice. The exclusions are available for any product that meets the description set out in the exclusion, regardless of whether the importer filed an exclusion request. The USTR will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis.

5.For further details, please refer to the relevant notices:

  • FR notice on the first batch of products excluded from Section 301 tariffs on mainland products worth US$200 billion (7 August 2019):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-08-07/pdf/2019-16886.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3) (7 August 2019):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-2572fab?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2

ENQUIRIES

6.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact Miss K Y HO at telephone number 2398 5405.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Ivy TAM)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

Note: While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.