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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

9 April 2021
(updated on 1 June 2021)

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 232/2021

US : Section 232 Tariff on Aluminum Articles - Delay of Compliance Date (until 28 June 2021) for Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) System

Further to Commercial Information Circular (CIC) No. 74/2021 of 28 January 2021, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) issued a Federal Register (FR) notice on 1 April 2021 to announce that the compliance date of the Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) system is delayed from 29 March 2021 until 28 June 2021. Specifically, licenses will be required for all covered aluminum imports into the US on or after 28 June 2021.

DETAILS

2.The US imposed additional tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminum products respectively imported from all countries/economies (except certain economies) on 23 March 2018 under the Section 232 investigation. For details, please refer to CIC Nos. 264/2018 and 90/2020 dated 16 March 2018 and 6 February 2020 respectively.

3.On 29 April 2020, the US DoC sought public comments on a proposed AIM system to cover all imports of basic aluminum products, including aluminum articles subject to Section 232 tariff, with the objective of facilitating the monitoring of imports of aluminum articles. For details, please refer to CIC No. 368/2020 dated 4 May 2020.

4.On 23 December 2020, the US DoC announced that it adopts the AIM system that consists of an online aluminum import license application platform and public AIM monitor. The new regulations require importers, customs brokers or their agents to apply for and obtain an automatically issued license via the AIM system website for each entry of certain aluminum products into the US. For details, please refer to CIC No. 914/2020 dated 24 December 2020.

5.On 27 January 2021, the US DoC announced that the effective date of the AIM system was delayed from 25 January 2021 until 29 March 2021. For details, please refer to CIC No. 74/2021 dated 28 January 2021.

6.On 1 April 2021, the US DoC further announced that the compliance date of the AIM system is delayed from 29 March 2021 until 28 June 2021. Subsequently the US DoC confirmed on 21 May 2021 that the regulations regarding the AIM system, except for certain sections, will take effect on 28 June 2021, and licenses will be required for all covered aluminum imports into the US and must be reported to US Customs and Border Protection on entry summary documentation, or electronic equivalent, on or after this date.

7.For details, please refer to the FR notice and the AIM system websites:

  • FR notice on delay of compliance date (1 April 2021):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-04-01/pdf/2021-06744.pdf
  • FR notice on final effective date (21 May 2021):
    https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-05-21/pdf/2021-10747.pdf
  • AIM system website:
    https://www.trade.gov/aluminum
  • Latest information on AIM system:
    https://www.trade.gov/updates-aluminum-import-licensing

ENQUIRIES

8.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.