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

25 May 2020
(Last updated on 4 September 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 417/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$200 billion - 14th Batch of Products Excluded from Additional Tariffs

The US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on 21 May 2020 the 14th 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 28 May 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 13 batches of excluded products from August 2019 to May 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, 249/2020, 346/2020 and 381/2020 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, 24 March 2020, 24 April 2020 and 6 May 2020 respectively.

3.On 21 May 2020, the USTR announced the 14th batch of products to be excluded from the additional tariffs. The products include 17 existing 10-digit HTSUS subheadings 0713.33.1040, 0713.50.1000, 1207.70.0020, 1207.70.0040, 1209.30.0090, 1209.91.6010, 1209.91.8010, 1209.91.8020, 1209.91.8040, 1209.91.8050, 1209.91.8060, 1209.91.8070, 2916.19.1000, 5603.14.9090, 5603.92.0090, 5603.93.0090 and 9403.70.4002 covering certain beans (kidney beans, broad beans and horse beans); certain seeds (cantaloupe, watermelon, herbaceous plants, sweet pepper, carrot, radish, cucumber, lettuce, squash and tomato); Potassium sorbate; certain nonwovens, whether or not impregnated, coated, or covered or laminated; toddler beds, bassinets and cradles.

4.In addition, the exclusions also cover 61 specially prepared product descriptions, covering freeze-dried or frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp; dried green seaweed; certain chemicals; children's paint sets, organic surface-active liquid for washing the skin; artificial graphite in powder or flake form; handbags, garment travel bags; flooring planks; albums for samples or collections; equipment for scaffolding; drums and barrels of stainless steel; wind turbine hubs; portal cranes; battery holders for bicycle signaling apparatus; unassembled non-upholstered chairs with metal frames; certain floor-standing jewelry armoires; etc. On 24 June 2020, the USTR further granted an additional specially prepared product description on certain motorboats. On 24 August 2020, the USTR further granted two additional specially prepared product descriptions covering certain wallets and chemical mixtures.

5.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.

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

  • FR notice on the 14th batch of products excluded from Section 301 tariffs (28 May 2020) and subsequent amendment (15 July 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-05-28/pdf/2020-11426.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-15/pdf/2020-15288.pdf
  • Additional product exclusions granted on 24 June 2020 and 24 August 2020:
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-06-24/pdf/2020-13596.pdf
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-24/pdf/2020-18517.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for products excluded from Section 301 Tariffs (List 3) (15 June 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-290cd59?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for additional product exclusion granted on 24 June 2020 (17 July 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-2963d74?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for additional product exclusion granted on 24 August 2020 (1 September 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-29cc5b0?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2

ENQUIRIES

7.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.