Commercial Information Circulars

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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

14 August 2019
(updated on 24 June 2020)

(Note to readers: Please refer to CIC No. 642/2019 dated 26 August 2019 for updated developments of the issues covered in this commercial information circular).

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 614/2019

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$300 billion - Finalized Tariff Lists and Implementation Dates for 10% Tariffs (1 September 2019 and 15 December 2019)

Further to Commercial Information Circular (CIC) No. 582/2019 dated 2 August 2019 regarding the US' planned additional tariffs of 10% on Mainland products worth approximately US$300 billion (i.e. List 4) scheduled for 1 September 2019, the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 13 August 2019 two finalized product lists for the 10% tariffs to take effect on 1 September 2019 and 15 December 2019 respectively. Among others, the 10% additional tariffs for certain products, including cell phones, laptop computers, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain items of footwear and clothing will be delayed to 15 December 2019.

DETAILS

2.The US has earlier imposed additional 25% tariffs on Mainland products worth approximately US$250 billion (List 1: US$34 billion; List 2: US$16 billion; List 3: US$200 billion) under the US' Section 301 investigation against Mainland China.

3.On 13 May 2019, the USTR further proposed an additional tariff of up to 25% on remaining Mainland products worth approximately US$300 billion (List 4). The proposed list had already gone through public comment and hearing process. On 1 August 2019, the US President said that the US would impose an additional 10% tariff on List 4 effective on 1 September 2019.

4.On 13 August 2019, the USTR announced two finalized lists, namely List 4A (effective 1 September 2019) and List 4B (effective 15 December 2019) for the 10% additional tariffs in List 4. Certain products based on health, safety, national security and other factors have been removed from the finalized lists. Separately, the 10% additional tariffs for cell phones, laptop computers, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain items of footwear and clothing (i.e. List 4B) are delayed to 15 December 2019. Besides, same as the previous Lists 1 - 3, the USTR intends to conduct an exclusion request process for products subject to the additional tariff under Lists 4A and 4B.

5.Subsequently, the USTR formally issued on 20 August 2019 a Federal Register (FR) notice on the finalized lists. Lists 4A and 4B are set out in Annexes A and C to the FR notice respectively. For further details, please refer to the FR notice at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-08-20/pdf/2019-17865.pdf.

ENQUIRIES

6.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact Miss K Y HO at 2398 5405 or 2398 5282.

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.