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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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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

24 April 2020
(Last updated on 16 July 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 346/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$200 billion - 12th Batch of Products Excluded from Additional Tariffs

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 22 April 2020 the 12th batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs imposed on Mainland products worth approximately US$200 billion ("List 3") under the Section 301 investigation and the official Federal Register (FR) notice was issued on 24 April 2020. These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place until 7 August 2020. 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. Subsequently, the USTR announced 11 batches of excluded products from August 2019 to March 2020. For details, please refer to Commercial Information Circular nos. 594/2019, 703/2019, 771/2019, 811/2019, 858/2019, 900/2019, 12/2020, 89/2020, 138/2020, 218/2020 and 249/2020 dated 5 August 2019, 19 September 2019, 24 October 2019, 8 November 2019, 27 November 2019, 13 December 2019, 3 January 2020, 5 February 2020, 21 February 2020, 16 March 2020 and 24 March 2020 respectively.

3.On 22 April 2020, the USTR announced the 12th batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include one existing 10-digit HTSUS subheading 8424.90.9080 covering certain parts of mechanical appliances for projecting, dispersing or spraying liquids or powders; as well as 107 specially prepared product descriptions, covering seeds of mung beans; certain chemical products; wall panels of cellulose polyvinyl chloride; cable protectors of rubber; certain bags and backpacks; padfolios of faux leather or polyester; chinstraps, front pads and side pads designed for use on football helmets; fiber optic faceplates; certain parts suitable for use solely or principally with spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines; retail computing scales; certain electric gear motors; power supplies for automatic data processing machines; fan-forced portable electric heaters; digital closed-loop video security systems; electric power control bases and board; certain printed circuit board assemblies; road wheels of cast aluminum; hitches of powder-coated steel; bicycles and wheel rims; parts and accessories of meteorological instruments and appliances; balances; work benches of steel; tripods of galvanized steel; etc.

4.These product exclusions will be retroactive to 24 September 2018, and remain in place until 7 August 2020. 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 notice:

  • FR notice on the 12th batch of products excluded from Section 301 tariffs (24 April 2020) and subsequent amendments (28 May 2020, 24 June 2020 and 15 July 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-04-24/pdf/2020-08670.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-05-28/pdf/2020-11426.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-06-24/pdf/2020-13596.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-15/pdf/2020-15288.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3) (1 May 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-289824c?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.