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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 October 2020
(updated on 20 October 2020)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 736/2020

US : Section 301 Tariffs on Mainland Products Worth US$16 billion - Extension of Certain Third Batch Product Exclusions from 25% Tariffs until 31 December 2020

The US Trade Representative (USTR) issued on 5 October 2020 a Federal Register (FR) notice to announce extension of certain third batch product exclusions from 25% tariffs imposed on Mainland products worth about US$16 billion under the Section 301 investigation. The extension applies as of 2 October 2020 until 31 December 2020.

DETAILS

2.On 23 August 2018, the US imposed an additional tariff of 25% on Mainland products worth approximately US$16 billion ("List 2") under the Section 301 investigation. The USTR also initiated an exclusion process for stakeholders to submit requests for the exclusion of specific products from the additional tariffs. Subsequently, three batches of excluded products were granted by the USTR. The third batch of product exclusions was announced on 2 October 2019 and two additional product exclusions were granted on 25 February and 16 July 2020. The above exclusions expired on 2 October 2020. For details, please refer to Commercial Information Circular Nos. 725/2019 and 489/2020 of 30 September 2019 and 26 June 2020 respectively.

3.After a public comment process, the USTR issued an FR notice to announce extension of certain third batch product exclusions from 25% tariffs, which applies as of 2 October 2020 until 31 December 2020. The products include 28 specially prepared product descriptions, covering elastomeric petroleum resins; machine tool stands; certain electric motors; certain DC electric motors; certain DC motors; DC permanent magnet motors; Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs); electronic AC passive infrared (PIR) motion sensing switches; bottom shelf coupler assemblies; buffering/cushioning front retainer plates, intermediate aligning and overtravel protection members, rear aligning and overtravel protection members, rear structural units, retention and alignment shafts, and retention caps; draft pack rear aligning and overtravel protection members; follower block plates; type F knuckles; digital clinical thermometers; and certain electrical gas monitors.

4.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.

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

  • FR notice on extension of certain second batch product exclusions from 25% tariffs (5 October 2020):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-10-05/pdf/2020-21954.pdf
  • US Customs and Border Protection's guidance note on filing entries for extension of product exclusions under US$16 billion List (List 2) (16 October 2020):
    https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-2a64272?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.