United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, 31990-32004 [E7-11078]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 111 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31990-32004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11078]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

19 CFR Parts 10, 24, 162, 163, and 178

[USCBP-2007-0057; CBP Dec. 07-28]
RIN 1505-AB48


United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

AGENCIES: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security; Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Interim rule; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: This rule amends title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(``CFR'') on an interim basis to implement the preferential tariff 
treatment and other customs-related provisions of the U.S.-Singapore 
Free Trade Agreement entered into by the United States and the Republic 
of Singapore.

DATES: Interim rule effective June 11, 2007; comments must be received 
by August 10, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number, by one 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments via docket number 
USCBP-2007-0057.
     Mail: Trade and Commercial Regulations Branch, Regulations 
and Rulings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania 
Avenue,

[[Page 31991]]

NW. (Mint Annex), Washington, DC 20229.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. For detailed instructions on submitting 
comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the 
``Public Participation'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this document.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov. Submitted comments 
may also be inspected during regular business days between the hours of 
9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Trade and Commercial Regulations Branch, 
Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 799 9th 
Street, NW., 5th Floor, Washington, DC. Arrangements to inspect 
submitted comments should be made in advance by calling Mr. Joseph 
Clark at (202) 572-8768.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Textile Operational Aspects: Robert Abels, Office of Field Operations, 
(202) 344-1959.
Other Operational Aspects: Lori Whitehurst, Office of Field Operations, 
(202) 344-2722.
Audit Aspects: Mark Hanson, Office of Regulatory Audit, (202) 344-2877.
Legal Aspects: Edward Leigh, Office of International Trade, (202) 572-
8810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Interested persons are invited to participate in this rulemaking by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments on all aspects of the 
interim rule. CBP also invites comments that relate to the economic, 
environmental, or federalism effects that might result from this 
interim rule. Comments that will provide the most assistance to CBP in 
developing these procedures will reference a specific portion of the 
interim rule, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include data, information, or authority that support such recommended 
change. See ADDRESSES above for information on how to submit comments.

II. Background

    On May 6, 2003, the United States and the Republic of Singapore 
(the ``Parties'') signed the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement 
(``SFTA''). The stated objectives of the SFTA include promoting open 
and competitive markets in trade between the Parties; promoting 
transparency and eliminating bribery and corruption in business 
transactions within the territories of the Parties; expanding trade in 
services between the Parties on a mutually advantageous basis; and, 
recognizing that liberalized trade in goods and services will assist 
the expansion of trade and investment flows, raise the standard of 
living and create new employment opportunities within the territories 
of the Parties.
    The provisions of the SFTA were adopted by the United States with 
the enactment of the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act (the ``Act''), Pub. L. 108-78, 117 Stat. 948 (19 
U.S.C. 3805 note) (2003). Section 206 of the Act requires that 
regulations be prescribed as necessary.
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') is responsible for 
administering the provisions of the SFTA and the Act that relate to the 
importation of goods into the United States from Singapore. Those 
customs-related SFTA provisions which require implementation through 
regulation include certain tariff and non-tariff provisions within 
Chapter One (Establishment of a Free Trade Area and Definitions), 
Chapter Two (National Treatment and Market Access for Goods), Chapter 
Three (Rules of Origin), Chapter Four (Customs Administration), and 
Chapter Five (Textiles and Apparel).
    In Chapter One of the SFTA, certain general definitions in Article 
1.2 have been incorporated in the SFTA implementing regulations. The 
tariff-related provisions within SFTA Chapter Two that require 
regulatory action by CBP are Article 2.6 (Goods re-entered after Repair 
or Alteration), Article 2.8 (Merchandise Processing Fee), and Article 
2.12 (Tariff Preference Levels).
    Chapter Three of the SFTA sets forth the rules for determining 
whether an imported good qualifies as an originating good of the United 
States or Singapore (``SFTA country'') and, as such, is therefore 
eligible for preferential tariff (duty-free or reduced duty) treatment 
under the SFTA as provided for in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States (``HTSUS''). Under Article 3.1 of Chapter Three, 
originating goods may be grouped in three broad categories: (1) Goods 
that are wholly obtained or produced entirely in one or both of the 
Parties; (2) goods that are listed in Annex 3B (Integrated Sourcing 
Initiative) of the SFTA and are imported from the territory of 
Singapore; and (3) goods that have been produced in one or both of the 
Parties so that each non-originating material satisfies the specific 
requirements in SFTA Annex 3A (change in tariff classification 
requirement and/or regional value content requirement). Article 3.2 
provides originating status for goods covered by the Agreement's 
Integrated Sourcing Initiative. Article 3.3 provides a de minimis 
criterion. Article 3.4 allows production that takes place in the 
territory of both Parties to be accumulated such that, provided other 
requirements are met, the resulting good is considered originating. 
Article 3.5 sets forth the methods for calculating the regional value 
content of a good. Article 3.6 sets forth the rules for determining the 
value of materials for purposes of calculating the regional value 
content of a good and applying the de minimis rule. The remaining 
Articles within Section A of Chapter Three consist of additional sub-
rules, applicable to the originating good concept, involving 
accessories, spare parts and tools, fungible materials, packaging 
materials, packing materials, indirect materials, and third country 
transportation. The basic rules of origin in Chapter Three of the SFTA 
are set forth in General Note 25, HTSUS.
    Section B of Chapter Three sets forth the procedural and 
recordkeeping requirements that apply under the SFTA, in particular 
with regard to claims for preferential tariff treatment; Section C sets 
forth consultation mechanisms among the parties; and Section D lists 
the definitions to be used within the context of the rules of origin in 
the Chapter.
    Chapter Four sets forth the customs operational provisions related 
to the implementation and continued administration of the SFTA.
    Chapter Five sets forth the measures relating to trade in textile 
and apparel goods between Singapore and the United States under the 
SFTA.
    In order to provide transparency and facilitate their use, the 
majority of the SFTA implementing regulations set forth in this 
document have been included within new Subpart I in Part 10 of the CBP 
regulations (19 CFR Part 10). However, in those cases in which SFTA 
implementation is more appropriate in the context of an existing 
regulatory provision, the SFTA regulatory text has been incorporated in 
an existing Part within the CBP regulations. In addition, this document 
sets forth a number of cross-references and other consequential changes 
to existing regulatory provisions to clarify the relationship between 
those existing provisions and the new SFTA implementing regulations. 
The

[[Page 31992]]

regulatory changes are discussed below in the order in which they 
appear in this document.

III. Discussion of Amendments

Part 10

    Section 10.31(f) concerns temporary importations under bond. It is 
amended by adding references to certain goods originating in Singapore 
for which, like goods originating in Canada, Mexico and Chile, no bond 
or other security will be required when imported temporarily for 
prescribed uses. The provisions of SFTA Article 2.5 (temporary 
admission of goods) are already reflected in existing temporary 
importation bond or other provisions contained in Part 10 of the CBP 
regulations and in Chapter 98 of the HTSUS.

Part 10, Subpart I

General Provisions
    Section 10.501 outlines the scope of new Subpart I, Part 10 of the 
CBP regulations. This section also clarifies that, except where the 
context otherwise requires, the requirements contained in Subpart I, 
Part 10 are in addition to general administrative and enforcement 
provisions set forth elsewhere in the CBP regulations. Thus, for 
example, the specific merchandise entry requirements contained in 
Subpart I, Part 10 are in addition to the basic entry requirements 
contained in Parts 141-143 of the CBP regulations.
    Section 10.502 sets forth definitions of common terms used in 
multiple contexts or places within Subpart I, Part 10. Although the 
majority of the definitions in this section are based on definitions 
contained in Articles 1.2, 3.19, and 5.11 and Annex 1A of the SFTA, and 
Sec.  3 of the Act, other definitions have also been included to 
clarify the application of the regulatory texts. Additional definitions 
which apply in a more limited Subpart I, Part 10 context are set forth 
elsewhere with the substantive provisions to which they relate.
Import Requirements
    Section 10.510 sets forth the procedure for claiming SFTA 
preferential treatment at the time of entry and, as provided in SFTA 
Article 3.13, states that an importer may make a claim for SFTA 
preferential treatment based on the importer's knowledge or information 
in the importer's possession that the good qualifies as an originating 
good. Section 10.510 also reflects that portion of SFTA Article 3.14 
which requires an importer to promptly correct an invalid claim for 
preferential treatment in order to avoid being subject to penalties.
    Unlike certain other free trade agreements to which the United 
States is a Party, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement 
(NAFTA) and the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (US-CFTA), the 
SFTA does not specify a procedure for making a post-importation claim. 
However, nothing in the SFTA or the Act bars an adjustment prior to 
liquidation to recognize a claim for SFTA benefits. Therefore, Subpart 
I, Part 10 contains no regulatory provisions governing such claims. 
However, a protest against an alleged error in the liquidation of an 
entry may be brought under the normal procedures to contest a denial of 
SFTA benefits (see Part 174, CBP regulations (19 CFR Part 174)).
    Section 10.511, as provided in SFTA Article 3.13, requires a U.S. 
importer, upon request, to submit a supporting statement setting forth 
the reasons that the good qualifies as an SFTA originating good, in 
connection with the claim. Section 10.512 sets forth certain importer 
obligations regarding the truthfulness of information and documents 
submitted in support of a claim for preferential treatment.
    Section 10.513 provides that the importer's supporting statement is 
not required for certain non-commercial or low-value importations.
    Section 10.514 implements SFTA Article 3.15 concerning the 
maintenance of relevant records regarding the imported good.
    Section 10.515, which is based on SFTA Article 3.14, authorizes the 
denial of SFTA tariff benefits if the importer fails to comply with any 
of the requirements under Subpart I, Part 10, CBP regulations.
Tariff Preference Level
    Sections 10.520 and 10.521, which are based on SFTA Article 2.12, 
specify the cotton and man-made fiber apparel goods for which an 
importer may claim preferential tariff treatment under a tariff 
preference level (TPL), and explain the procedure for making such 
claims. Section 10.522 provides that a TPL claim must be accompanied by 
a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of Singapore.
Rules of Origin
    Sections 10.530 through 10.543 provide the implementing regulations 
regarding the rules of origin provisions of HTSUS General Note 25, SFTA 
Chapter Three, and section 202 of the Act.
Definitions
    Section 10.530 sets forth terms that are defined for purposes of 
the rules of origin.
General Rules of Origin
    Section 10.531 sets forth the basic rules of origin established in 
Chapter Three of the SFTA, section 202(a) of the Act, and General Note 
25(b), HTSUS. The provisions of Sec.  10.531 apply both to the 
determination of the status of an imported good as an originating good 
for purposes of preferential tariff treatment and to the determination 
of the status of a material as an originating material used in a good 
which is subject to a determination under General Note 25, HTSUS. 
Section 10.531(a) specifies those goods that are originating goods 
because they are wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory 
of one or both of the Parties.
    Section 10.531(b) provides that goods that have been produced in 
the territory of one or both of the Parties so that each non-
originating material undergoes an applicable change in tariff 
classification and satisfies any applicable regional value content or 
other requirement set forth in General Note 25(o), are originating 
goods. Essential to the rules in Sec.  10.531(b) are the specific rules 
of General Note 25(o), HTSUS, which are incorporated by reference.
    Section 10.531(c) provides originating status for goods of the SFTA 
Integrated Sourcing Initiative (``ISI''). Goods eligible for 
originating status under the ISI are information technology goods 
listed in Annex 3B of the Agreement and General Note 25(m), HTSUS. 
These are goods for which the current U.S. Normal Trade Relations 
(Most-Favored Nation) duty rate is zero. The SFTA ISI arrangement 
provides not only the zero rate of duty for these goods, but also 
exempts them, regardless of their origin under any other rule, from the 
Merchandise Processing Fee. This treatment is afforded to goods that, 
in their condition as imported into the United States, are enumerated 
in General Note 25(m), HTSUS, and are imported from the territory of 
Singapore. However, ISI goods may not be counted as originating 
materials when used to produce other goods in Singapore unless either 
another rule of origin is satisfied or the ISI goods are imported into 
Singapore from the United States prior to being used in the production 
of other goods in Singapore.
    Section 10.532 specifies the requirements for a good to be treated 
as an originating good under the ISI and the limitations on the 
treatment of an ISI good as an originating material when

[[Page 31993]]

used in the production of another good in Singapore.
De Minimis
    Section 10.533 sets forth de minimis rules for goods that may be 
considered to qualify as originating goods even though they fail to 
qualify as originating goods under the rules in Sec.  10.531.
Accumulation
    Section 10.534 sets forth the rule by which originating materials 
from the territory of Singapore or the United States that are used in 
the production of a good in the territory of the other country will be 
considered to originate in the territory of such other country. In 
addition, this section also establishes that a good that is produced by 
one or more producers in the territory of Singapore or the United 
States, or both, is an originating good if the good satisfies all of 
the applicable requirements of the rules of origin of the SFTA.
Value Content
    Section 10.535 sets forth the basic rules which apply for purposes 
of determining whether an imported good satisfies a minimum regional 
value content (``RVC'') requirement. Section 10.536 sets forth the 
rules for determining the value of a material for purposes of 
calculating the regional value content of a good as well as for 
purposes of applying the de minimis rules.
Accessories, Spare Parts, or Tools
    Section 10.537 specifies the conditions under which a good's 
standard accessories, spare parts, or tools are (1) treated as 
originating goods and (2) disregarded in determining whether all non-
originating materials undergo an applicable change in tariff 
classification under General Note 25(o), HTSUS.
Fungible Goods and Materials
    Section 10.538 sets forth the rules by which ``fungible'' goods or 
materials may be claimed as originating.
Packaging Materials and Packing Materials
    Sections 10.539 and 10.540 provide that retail packaging materials 
and packing materials for shipment are to be disregarded with respect 
to their actual origin in determining whether non-originating materials 
undergo an applicable change in tariff classification under General 
Note 25(o), HTSUS. These sections also set forth the treatment of 
packaging and packing materials for purposes of the regional value 
content requirement of the note.
Indirect Materials
    Section 10.541 provides that indirect materials, as defined in 
Sec.  10.502(j), are considered to be originating materials without 
regard to where they are produced.
Third Country Transportation
    Section 10.542 sets forth the rule that an originating good loses 
its originating status and is treated as a non-originating good if, 
subsequent to the production in a SFTA country that qualifies the good 
as originating, the good undergoes production in a territory outside 
that of a SFTA country.
Certain Apparel Goods Made from Fabric or Yarn in Short Supply
    Section 10.543 provides for an exception to the basic rules of 
origin set forth in Sec.  10.531 in the case of certain apparel goods 
made from fabric or yarn that is not available in commercial 
quantities. This section states that an apparel article classified in 
Chapter 61 or 62 of the HTSUS is considered originating if cut (or knit 
to shape) and assembled in one or both of the Parties from fabric or 
yarn, regardless of origin, that has been designated by the Committee 
for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (``CITA'') as not 
available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the United 
States. The designations by CITA must have been made by notices 
published in the Federal Register no later than November 15, 2002.
Origin Verifications and Determinations
    Sections 10.550 and 10.551 implement the provisions of SFTA 
Articles 3.14 and 3.16 which concern the conduct of verifications to 
determine whether imported goods are originating goods entitled to SFTA 
preferential duty treatment and the issuance and application of origin 
determinations resulting from such verifications. These sections also 
govern the conduct of verifications directed to producers of materials 
that are used in the production of a good for which SFTA preferential 
duty treatment is claimed.
    Section 10.551 provides the procedures that apply when preferential 
tariff treatment is denied on the basis of an origin verification 
conducted under this subpart.
    Sections 10.552 through 10.554, which are based on Articles 5.4 and 
5.5 of the SFTA, set forth provisions relating to information sharing 
by CBP, site visits, and enforcement in regard to trade in textile and 
apparel goods.
Penalties
    Section 10.560 concerns the general application of penalties to 
SFTA transactions and is based on SFTA Article 4.7.
    Section 10.561 reflects SFTA Article 3.14 with regard to exceptions 
to the application of penalties in the case of an importer who promptly 
and voluntarily makes a corrected claim and pays any duties owing. The 
SFTA's exception to the application of penalties is contingent upon the 
importer correcting the claim and paying any duties owing within a 
period, determined by each importing Party, that may not be less than 
one year from submission of the invalid claim. Section 10.562 sets a 
period within which a corrected claim enjoys the exception from 
penalties in Sec.  10.561 at one year, and also extends Sec.  10.561 to 
any corrected claim made after the one-year period, if made (1) before 
the commencement of a formal investigation, or (2) before any of the 
events specified in Sec.  162.74(i) of this chapter has occurred, or 
(3) within 30 days after the importer becomes aware that the claim is 
not valid. Corrected claims that fail to meet these requirements are 
not excepted from penalties, although the importer making the corrected 
claim may, depending on the circumstances, qualify for a reduced 
penalty as a prior disclosure under 19 U.S.C. 1592(c)(4).
Goods Returned After Repair or Alteration
    Section 10.570 implements SFTA Article 2.6 regarding duty-free 
treatment for goods re-entered after repair or alteration in Singapore.
Part 24
    An amendment is made to Sec.  24.23(c), which concerns the 
merchandise processing fee, to implement Article 2.8 of the SFTA and 
Sec.  203 of the Act, to provide that the merchandise processing fee is 
not applicable to goods that qualify as originating goods under the 
SFTA.
Part 162
    Part 162 contains regulations regarding the inspection and 
examination of, among other things, imported merchandise. A cross-
reference is added to Sec.  162.0, which is the scope section of the 
part, to refer readers to the additional SFTA records maintenance and 
examination provisions contained in new Subpart I, Part 10, HTSUS.

[[Page 31994]]

Part 163
    A conforming amendment is made to Sec.  163.1 to include the 
completion of the SFTA importer's supporting statement and any other 
supporting documentation pursuant to the SFTA as activities for which 
records must be maintained. Also, the list appearing in the Appendix to 
Part 163 (commonly known as the (a)(1)(A) list) is amended to add: (1) 
The SFTA importer's supporting statement and any other supporting 
documentation; and (2) the SFTA TPL Certificate of Eligibility.
Part 178
    Part 178 sets forth the control numbers assigned to information 
collections of CBP by the Office of Management and Budget, pursuant to 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. The list contained 
in Sec.  178.2 is amended to add the information collections used by 
CBP to determine eligibility for a tariff preference or other rights or 
benefits under the SFTA and the Act.

IV. Inapplicability of Notice and Delayed Effective Date Requirements

    Under the Administrative Procedure Act (``APA'') (5 U.S.C. 553), 
agencies generally are required to publish a notice of proposed 
rulemaking in the Federal Register that solicits public comment on the 
proposed regulatory amendments, consider public comments in deciding on 
the content of the final amendments, and publish the final amendments 
at least 30 days prior to their effective date. However, section 
553(a)(1) of the APA provides that the standard prior notice and 
comment procedures and delayed effective date provisions of 5 U.S.C. 
553(d) do not apply to an agency rulemaking to the extent that it 
involves a foreign affairs function of the United States. CBP has 
determined that these interim regulations involve a foreign affairs 
function of the United States because they implement preferential 
tariff treatment and related provisions of the SFTA. Therefore, the 
rulemaking requirements under the APA do not apply and this interim 
rule will be effective upon publication.

V. Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    CBP has determined that this document is not a regulation or rule 
subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 
1993 (58 FR 51735, October 1993), because it pertains to a foreign 
affairs function of the United States and implements an international 
agreement, as described above, and therefore is specifically exempted 
by section 3(d)(2) of Executive Order 12866. Because a notice of 
proposed rulemaking is not required under section 553(b) of the APA for 
the reasons described above, CBP notes that the provisions of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), do not 
apply to this rulemaking. Accordingly, CBP also notes that this interim 
rule is not subject to the regulatory analysis requirements or other 
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.

VI. Paperwork Reduction Act

    These regulations are being issued without prior notice and public 
procedure pursuant to the APA, as described above. For this reason, the 
collections of information contained in these regulations have been 
reviewed and, pending receipt and evaluation of public comments, 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under 
control number 1651-0117.
    The collections of information in these regulations are in 
Sec. Sec.  10.510 and 10.511. This information is required in 
connection with claims for preferential tariff treatment and for the 
purpose of the exercise of other rights under the SFTA and the Act and 
will be used by CBP to determine eligibility for a tariff preference or 
other rights or benefits under the SFTA and the Act. The likely 
respondents are business organizations including importers, exporters 
and manufacturers.
    Estimated total annual reporting burden: 9,000 hours.
    Estimated average annual burden per respondent: 0.2 hours.
    Estimated number of respondents: 45,000.
    Estimated annual frequency of responses: 1.
    Comments concerning the collections of information and the accuracy 
of the estimated annual burden, and suggestions for reducing that 
burden, should be directed to the Office of Management and Budget, 
Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503. A copy should 
also be sent to the Trade and Commercial Regulations Branch, 
Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 1300 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. (Mint Annex), Washington, DC 20229.

VII. Signing Authority

    This document is being issued in accordance with Sec.  0.1(a)(1) of 
the CBP regulations (19 CFR 0.1(a)(1)) pertaining to the authority of 
the Secretary of the Treasury (or his/her delegate) to approve 
regulations related to certain CBP revenue functions.

List of Subjects

19 CFR Part 10

    Alterations, Bonds, Customs duties and inspection, Exports, 
Imports, Preference programs, Repairs, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Trade agreements (United States-Singapore Free Trade 
Agreement).

19 CFR Part 24

    Accounting, Customs duties and inspection, Financial and accounting 
procedures, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Trade agreements, 
User fees.

19 CFR Part 162

    Administrative practice and procedure, Customs duties and 
inspection, Penalties, Trade agreements.

19 CFR Part 163

    Administrative practice and procedure, Customs duties and 
inspection, Exports, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Trade agreements.

19 CFR Part 178

    Administrative practice and procedure, Exports, Imports, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements.

Amendments to the Regulations

0
Accordingly, chapter I of title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR 
chapter I), is amended as set forth below.

PART 10--ARTICLES CONDITIONALLY FREE, SUBJECT TO A REDUCED RATE, 
ETC.

0
1. The general authority citation for part 10 continues to read and the 
specific authority for new Subpart I is added to read as follows:

    Authority: 19 U.S.C. 66, 1202 (General Note 3(i), Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States), 1321, 1481, 1484, 1498, 1508, 
1623, 1624, 3314;
* * * * *
    Sections 10.501 through 10.570 also issued under 19 U.S.C. 1202 
(General Note 25, HTSUS) and Pub. L. 108-78, 117 Stat. 948 (19 
U.S.C. 3805 note).


0
2. In Sec.  10.31, paragraph (f), the last sentence is revised to read 
as follows:


Sec.  10.31  Entry; bond.

* * * * *
    (f) * * * In addition, notwithstanding any other provision of this 
paragraph, in the case of professional equipment necessary for carrying 
out the business

[[Page 31995]]

activity, trade or profession of a business person, equipment for the 
press or for sound or television broadcasting, cinematographic 
equipment, articles imported for sports purposes and articles intended 
for display or demonstration, if brought into the United States by a 
resident of Canada, Mexico, Chile, or Singapore and entered under 
Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII, HTSUS, no bond or other security will be 
required if the entered article is a good originating in Canada, 
Mexico, Chile, or Singapore within the meaning of General Notes 12, 25, 
and 26, HTSUS.
* * * * *


Sec.  10.36a  [Amended]

0
3. In Sec.  10.36a, the first sentence of paragraph (a) is amended by 
removing the words ``(as defined in Sec. Sec.  10.8, 10.490 and 181.64 
of this chapter)'' and adding, in their place, the words ``(as defined 
in Sec. Sec.  10.8, 10.490, 10.570, and 181.64 of this chapter)''.

0
4. Part 10, CBP regulations, is amended by adding a new Subpart I to 
read as follows:
Subpart I--United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

General Provisions

Sec.
10.501 Scope.
10.502 General definitions.

Import Requirements

10.510 Filing of claim for preferential tariff treatment upon 
importation.
10.511 Supporting statement.
10.512 Importer obligations.
10.513 Supporting statement not required.
10.514 Maintenance of records.
10.515 Effect of noncompliance; failure to provide documentation 
regarding third country transportation.

Tariff Preference Level

10.520 Filing of claim for tariff preference level.
10.521 Goods eligible for tariff preference level claims.
10.522 Submission of certificate of eligibility.

Rules of Origin

10.530 Definitions.
10.531 Originating goods.
10.532 Integrated Sourcing Initiative.
10.533 De minimis.
10.534 Accumulation.
10.535 Regional value content.
10.536 Value of materials.
10.537 Accessories, spare parts, or tools.
10.538 Fungible goods and materials.
10.539 Retail packaging materials and containers.
10.540 Packing materials and containers for shipment.
10.541 Indirect materials.
10.542 Third country transportation.
10.543 Certain apparel goods made from fabric or yarn not available 
in commercial quantities.

Origin Verifications and Determinations

10.550 Verification and justification of claim for preferential 
treatment.
10.551 Issuance of negative origin determinations.
10.552 Information sharing by CBP regarding textile and apparel 
goods produced in the United States.
10.553 Textile and apparel site visits.
10.554 Exclusion of textile or apparel goods for intentional 
circumvention.

Penalties

10.560 General.
10.561 Corrected claim or supporting statement.
10.562 Framework for correcting claims or supporting statements.

Goods Returned After Repair or Alteration

10.570 Goods re-entered after repair or alteration in Singapore.

Subpart I--United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

General Provisions


Sec.  10.501  Scope.

    This subpart implements the duty preference and related customs 
provisions applicable to imported goods under the United States-
Singapore Free Trade Agreement (the SFTA) signed on May 6, 2003, and 
under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
Act (the Act; 117 Stat. 948). Except as otherwise specified in this 
subpart, the procedures and other requirements set forth in this 
subpart are in addition to the customs procedures and requirements of 
general application contained elsewhere in this chapter. Additional 
provisions implementing certain aspects of the SFTA and the Act are 
contained in Parts 24, 162, and 163 of this chapter.


Sec.  10.502  General definitions.

    As used in this subpart, the following terms will have the meanings 
indicated unless either the context in which they are used requires a 
different meaning or a different definition is prescribed for a 
particular section of this subpart:
    (a) Claim for preferential tariff treatment. ``Claim for 
preferential tariff treatment'' means a claim that a good is entitled 
to the duty rate applicable under the SFTA to an originating good or 
other good specified in the SFTA, and to an exemption from the 
merchandise processing fee;
    (b) Customs duty. ``Customs duty'' includes any customs or import 
duty and a charge of any kind imposed in connection with the 
importation of a good, including any form of surtax or surcharge in 
connection with such importation, but, for purposes of implementing the 
SFTA, does not include any:
    (1) Charge equivalent to an internal tax imposed consistently with 
Article III:2 of GATT 1994 in respect of the like domestic good or in 
respect of goods from which the imported good has been manufactured or 
produced in whole or in part;
    (2) Antidumping or countervailing duty that is applied pursuant to 
a Party's domestic law;
    (3) Fee or other charge in connection with importation commensurate 
with the cost of services rendered; or
    (4) Duty imposed pursuant to Article 5 of the WTO Agreement on 
Agriculture.
    (c) Customs Valuation Agreement. ``Customs Valuation Agreement'' 
means the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General 
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, which is part of the WTO 
Agreement;
    (d) Days. ``Days'' means calendar days;
    (e) Enterprise. ``Enterprise'' means an entity constituted or 
organized under applicable law, whether or not for profit, and whether 
privately-owned or governmentally-owned, including any corporation, 
trust, partnership, sole proprietorship, joint venture, or other 
association;
    (f) GATT 1994. ``GATT 1994'' means the General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade 1994, which is part of the WTO Agreement;
    (g) Harmonized System. ``Harmonized System (HS)'' means the 
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, including its 
General Rules of Interpretation, Section Notes, and Chapter Notes, as 
adopted and implemented by the Parties in their respective tariff laws;
    (h) Heading. ``Heading'' means the first four digits in the tariff 
classification number under the Harmonized System;
    (i) HTSUS. ``HTSUS'' means the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States as promulgated by the U.S. International Trade 
Commission;
    (j) Indirect material. ``Indirect material'' means a good used in 
the production, testing, or inspection of a good in the territory of 
the United States or Singapore but not physically incorporated into the 
good, or a good used in the maintenance of buildings or the operation 
of equipment associated with the production of a good in the territory 
of the United States or Singapore, including:
    (1) Fuel and energy;
    (2) Tools, dies, and molds;

[[Page 31996]]

    (3) Spare parts and materials used in the maintenance of equipment 
and buildings;
    (4) Lubricants, greases, compounding materials, and other materials 
used in production or used to operate equipment and buildings;
    (5) Gloves, glasses, footwear, clothing, safety equipment, and 
supplies;
    (6) Equipment, devices, and supplies used for testing or inspecting 
the good;
    (7) Catalysts and solvents; and
    (8) Any other goods that are not incorporated into the good but 
whose use in the production of the good can reasonably be demonstrated 
to be a part of that production;
    (k) Originating. ``Originating'' means qualifying for preferential 
tariff treatment under the rules of origin set out in SFTA Chapter 
Three (Rules of Origin) and General Note 25, HTSUS;
    (l) Party. ``Party'' means the United States or the Republic of 
Singapore;
    (m) Person. ``Person'' means a natural person or an enterprise;
    (n) Preferential tariff treatment. ``Preferential tariff 
treatment'' means the duty rate applicable under the SFTA to an 
originating good, and an exemption from the merchandise processing fee;
    (o) Subheading. ``Subheading'' means the first six digits in the 
tariff classification number under the Harmonized System;
    (p) Tariff preference level. ``Tariff preference level'' means a 
quantitative limit for certain non-originating textiles and textile 
apparel goods that may be entitled to preferential tariff treatment 
based on the goods meeting the production requirements set forth in 
Sec.  10.521 of this subpart;
    (q) Textile or apparel good. ``Textile or apparel good'' means a 
good listed in the Annex to the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing 
(commonly referred to as ``the ATC''), which is part of the WTO 
Agreement;
    (r) Territory. ``Territory'' means:
    (1) With respect to Singapore, its land territory, internal waters 
and territorial sea as well as the maritime zones beyond the 
territorial sea, including the seabed and subsoil over which the 
Republic of Singapore exercises sovereign rights or jurisdiction under 
its national laws and international law for the purpose of exploration 
and exploitation of the natural resources of such areas; and
    (2) With respect to the United States;
    (i) The customs territory of the United States, which includes the 
50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico;
    (ii) The foreign trade zones located in the United States and 
Puerto Rico; and
    (iii) Any areas beyond the territorial seas of the United States 
within which, in accordance with international law and its domestic 
law, the United States may exercise rights with respect to the seabed 
and subsoil and their natural resources; and
    (s) WTO Agreement. ``WTO Agreement'' means the Marrakesh Agreement 
Establishing the World Trade Organization of April 15, 1994.

Import Requirements


Sec.  10.510  Filing of claim for preferential tariff treatment upon 
importation.

    (a) Claim. An importer may make a claim for SFTA preferential 
tariff treatment, including an exemption from the merchandise 
processing fee, based on the importer's knowledge or information in the 
importer's possession that the good qualifies as an originating good. 
For goods that qualify as originating goods under the Integrated 
Sourcing Initiative (see subdivisions (b)(ii) and (m) of General Note 
25, HTSUS, and Sec.  10.532 of this subpart), the claim is made by 
including on the entry summary, or equivalent documentation, the tariff 
item 9999.00.84, HTSUS, or by the method specified for equivalent 
reporting via an authorized electronic data interchange system. For all 
other qualifying goods, the claim is made by including on the entry 
summary, or equivalent documentation, the letters ``SG'' as a prefix to 
the subheading of the HTSUS under which each qualifying good is 
classified, or by the method specified for equivalent reporting via an 
authorized electronic data interchange system.
    (b) Corrected claim. If, after making the claim required under 
paragraph (a) of this section, the importer becomes aware that the 
claim is invalid, the importer must promptly correct the claim and pay 
any duties that may be due. The importer must submit a statement either 
in writing or via an authorized electronic data interchange system to 
the CBP office where the original claim was filed specifying the 
correction (see Sec. Sec.  10.561 and 10.562 of this subpart).


Sec.  10.511  Supporting statement.

    (a) Contents. An importer who makes a claim under Sec.  10.510(a) 
of this subpart must submit, at the request of the port director, a 
statement setting forth the reasons that the good qualifies as an 
originating good, including pertinent cost and manufacturing data. A 
statement submitted to CBP under this paragraph:
    (1) Need not be in a prescribed format but must be in writing or 
must be transmitted electronically pursuant to any electronic means 
authorized by CBP for that purpose;
    (2) Must include the following information:
    (i) The legal name, address, telephone, and e-mail address (if any) 
of the importer of record of the good;
    (ii) The legal name, address, telephone, and e-mail address (if 
any) of the responsible official or authorized agent of the importer 
signing the supporting statement (if different from the information 
required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section);
    (iii) The legal name, address, telephone, and e-mail address (if 
any) of the exporter of the good (if different from the producer);
    (iv) The legal name, address, telephone, and e-mail address (if 
any) of the producer of the good (if known);
    (v) A description of the good for which preferential tariff 
treatment is claimed, which must be sufficiently detailed to relate it 
to the invoice and the HS nomenclature;
    (vi) The HTSUS tariff classification, to six or more digits, as 
necessary for the specific change in tariff classification rule for the 
good set forth in General Note 25(o), HTSUS;
    (vii) The applicable rule of origin set forth in General Note 25, 
HTSUS, under which the good qualifies as an originating good; and
    (3) Must include a statement, in substantially the following form:

    I certify that:
    The information on this document is true and accurate and I 
assume the responsibility for proving such representations. I 
understand that I am liable for any false statements or material 
omissions made on or in connection with this document;
    I agree to maintain and present upon request, documentation 
necessary to support these representations;
     The goods originated or are considered to have originated in 
the territory of one or more of the Parties, and comply with the 
origin requirements specified for those goods in the United States-
Singapore Free Trade Agreement; there has been no further production 
or any other operation outside the territories of the parties, other 
than unloading, reloading, or any other operation necessary to 
preserve the goods in good condition or to transport the goods to 
the United States; and
    This document consists of ------ pages, including all 
attachments.''

    (b) Responsible official or agent. The supporting statement 
required to be submitted under paragraph (a) of this section must be 
signed and dated by a responsible official of the importer or by the 
importer's authorized agent having knowledge of the relevant facts.
    (c) Language. The supporting statement required to be submitted

[[Page 31997]]

under paragraph (a) of this section must be completed in the English 
language.
    (d) Applicability of supporting statement. The supporting statement 
required to be submitted under paragraph (a) of this section may be 
applicable to:
    (1) A single importation of a good into the United States, 
including a single shipment that results in the filing of one or more 
entries and a series of shipments that results in the filing of one 
entry; or
    (2) Multiple importations of identical goods into the United States 
that occur within a specified blanket period, not exceeding 12 months, 
set out in the statement. For purposes of this paragraph, ``identical 
goods'' means goods that are the same in all respects relevant to the 
particular rule of origin that qualifies the goods as originating.


Sec.  10.512  Importer obligations.

    (a) General. An importer who makes a claim under Sec.  10.510(a) of 
this subpart is responsible for the truthfulness of the claim and of 
all the information and data contained in the supporting statement 
provided for in Sec.  10.511 of this subpart, for submitting any 
supporting documents requested by CBP, and for the truthfulness of the 
information contained in those documents. However, an importer will not 
be subject to civil or administrative penalties under 19 U.S.C. 1592 
for making an invalid claim for preferential tariff treatment or 
submitting an incorrect supporting statement, provided that the 
importer promptly and voluntarily corrects the claim or supporting 
statement and pays any duty owing (see Sec. Sec.  10.561 and 10.562 of 
this subpart). In instances in which CBP requests the submission of 
supporting documents, CBP will allow for the direct submission by the 
exporter or producer of business confidential or other sensitive 
information, including cost and sourcing information.
    (b) Compliance. In order to make a claim for preferential tariff 
treatment under Sec.  10.510(a) of this subpart, the importer:
    (1) Must have records that explain how the importer came to the 
conclusion that the good qualifies for preferential tariff treatment. 
Those records must include documents that support a claim that the 
article in question qualifies for preferential tariff treatment because 
it meets the applicable rules of origin set forth in General Note 25, 
HTSUS, and in this subpart. Those records may include a properly 
completed importer's supporting statement as set forth in Sec.  10.511 
of this subpart; and
    (2) May be required to present evidence that the conditions set 
forth in Sec.  10.542 of this subpart were met if the imported article 
was shipped through an intermediate country.
    (c) Information provided by exporter or producer. The fact that the 
importer has made a claim or supporting statement based on information 
provided by an exporter or producer will not relieve the importer of 
the responsibility referred to in the first sentence of paragraph (a) 
of this section.


Sec.  10.513  Supporting statement not required.

    (a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this 
section, an importer will not be required to submit a supporting 
statement under Sec.  10.511 of this subpart for:
    (1) A non-commercial importation of a good; or
    (2) A commercial importation for which the value of the goods does 
not exceed U.S. $2,500.
    (b) Exception. If the port director determines that an importation 
described in paragraph (a) of this section may reasonably be considered 
to have been carried out or planned for the purpose of evading 
compliance with the rules and procedures governing claims for 
preference under the SFTA, the port director will notify the importer 
that for that importation the importer must submit to CBP a supporting 
statement. The importer must submit such a statement within 30 days 
from the date of the notice. Failure to timely submit the supporting 
statement will result in denial of the claim for preferential 
treatment.


Sec.  10.514  Maintenance of records.

    (a) General. An importer claiming preferential tariff treatment for 
a good imported into the United States under Sec.  10.510(a) of this 
subpart must maintain, for five years after the date of importation of 
the good, any records and documents that the importer has relating to 
the origin of the good, including records and documents associated 
with:
    (1) The purchase of, cost of, value of, and payment for, the good;
    (2) Where appropriate, the purchase of, cost of, value of, and 
payment for, all materials, including recovered goods and indirect 
materials, used in the production of the good; and
    (3) Where appropriate, the production of the good in the form in 
which the good was exported.
    (b) Applicability of other recordkeeping requirements. The records 
and documents referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are in 
addition to any other records that the importer is required to prepare, 
maintain, or make available to CBP under Part 163 of this chapter.
    (c) Method of maintenance. The records and documents referred to in 
paragraph (a) of this section must be maintained by importers as 
provided in Sec.  163.5 of this chapter.


Sec.  10.515  Effect of noncompliance; failure to provide documentation 
regarding third country transportation.

    (a) Effect of noncompliance. If the importer fails to comply with 
any requirement under this subpart, including submission of a complete 
supporting statement under Sec.  10.511 of this subpart, when 
requested, the port director may deny preferential treatment to the 
imported good.
    (b) Failure to provide documentation regarding third country 
transportation. Where the requirements for preferential treatment set 
forth elsewhere in this subpart are met, the port director nevertheless 
may deny preferential treatment to an originating good if the good is 
shipped through or transshipped in a country other than Singapore or 
the United States, and the importer of the good does not provide, at 
the request of the port director, evidence demonstrating to the 
satisfaction of the port director that the conditions set forth in 
Sec.  10.542 of this subpart were met.

Tariff Preference Level


Sec.  10.520  Filing of claim for tariff preference level.

    A cotton or man-made fiber apparel good described in Sec.  10.521 
of this subpart that does not qualify as an originating good under 
Sec.  10.531 of this subpart may nevertheless be entitled to 
preferential tariff treatment under the SFTA under an applicable tariff 
preference level (TPL). To make a TPL claim, the importer must include 
on the entry summary, or equivalent documentation, the applicable 
tariff item in Chapter 99 of the HTSUS (9910.61.01 through 9910.61.89) 
and the applicable subheading in Chapter 61 or 62 of the HTSUS under 
which each non-originating cotton or man-made fiber apparel good is 
classified. For TPL goods, the letters ``SG'' must be inserted as a 
prefix to the applicable HTSUS 9910 tariff item when the entry is 
filed. The importer must also submit a certificate of eligibility as 
set forth in Sec.  10.522 of this subpart.


Sec.  10.521  Goods eligible for tariff preference level claims.

    Goods eligible for a TPL claim consist of cotton or man-made fiber 
apparel

[[Page 31998]]

goods provided for in Chapters 61 and 62 of the HTSUS that are both cut 
(or knit-to-shape) and sewn or otherwise assembled in Singapore from 
fabric or yarn produced or obtained outside the territory of Singapore 
or the United States, and that meet the applicable conditions for 
preferential tariff treatment under the SFTA, other than the condition 
that they are originating goods. The preferential tariff treatment is 
limited to the quantities specified in U.S. Note 13, Subchapter X, 
Chapter 99, HTSUS.


Sec.  10.522  Submission of certificate of eligibility.

    An importer who claims preferential tariff treatment on a non-
originating cotton or man-made fiber apparel good must submit a 
certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of Singapore, 
demonstrating that the good is eligible for entry under the applicable 
TPL, as set forth in Sec.  10.521 of this subpart.

Rules of Origin


Sec.  10.530  Definitions.

    For purposes of Sec. Sec.  10.530 through 10.542:
    (a) Adjusted value. ``Adjusted value'' means the value determined 
in accordance with Articles 1 through 8, Article 15, and the 
corresponding interpretative notes of the Customs Valuation Agreement, 
adjusted, if necessary, to exclude:
    (1) Any costs, charges, or expenses incurred for transportation, 
insurance and related services incident to the international shipment 
of the merchandise from the country of exportation to the place of 
importation; and
    (2) The value of packing materials and containers for shipment as 
defined in paragraph (j) of this section;
    (b) Exporter. ``Exporter'' means a person who exports goods from 
the territory of a Party;
    (c) Fungible goods or materials. ``Fungible goods or materials'' 
means goods or materials, as the case may be, that are interchangeable 
for commercial purposes and the properties of which are essentially 
identical;
    (d) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. ``Generally Accepted 
Accounting principles'' means the recognized consensus or substantial 
authoritative support in the territory of a Party, with respect to the 
recording of revenues, expenses, costs, assets, and liabilities, the 
disclosure of information, and the preparation of financial statements. 
These standards may encompass broad guidelines of general application 
as well as detailed standards, practices, and procedures;
    (e) Good. ``Good'' means any merchandise, product, article, or 
material;
    (f) Goods wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of 
one or both of the Parties. ``Goods wholly obtained or produced 
entirely in the territory of one or both of the Parties'' means:
    (1) Mineral goods extracted in the territory of one or both of the 
Parties;
    (2) Vegetable goods, as such goods are defined in the Harmonized 
System, harvested in the territory of one or both of the Parties;
    (3) Live animals born and raised in the territory of one or both of 
the Parties;
    (4) Goods obtained from hunting, trapping, fishing, or aquaculture 
conducted in the territory of one or both of the Parties;
    (5) Goods (fish, shellfish and other marine life) taken from the 
sea by vessels registered or recorded with a Party and flying its flag;
    (6) Goods produced exclusively from products referred to in 
subparagraph (f)(5) of this section on board factory ships registered 
or recorded with a Party and flying its flag;
    (7) Goods taken by a Party or a person of a Party from the seabed 
or beneath the seabed outside territorial waters, provided that a Party 
has rights to exploit such seabed;
    (8) Goods taken from outer space, provided they are obtained by a 
Party or a person of a Party and not processed in the territory of a 
non-Party;
    (9) Waste and scrap derived from:
    (i) Production in the territory of one or both of the Parties; or
    (ii) Used goods collected in the territory of one or both of the 
Parties, provided such goods are fit only for the recovery of raw 
materials;
    (10) Recovered goods derived in the territory of one or both of the 
Parties from used goods; or
    (11) Goods produced in one or both of the Parties exclusively from 
goods referred to in paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(9) of this section 
or from the derivatives of such goods;
    (g) Material. ``Material'' means a good that is used in the 
production of another good;
    (h) Non-originating good. ``Non-originating good'' means a good 
that does not qualify as originating under General Note 25, HTSUS;
    (i) Non-originating material. ``Non-originating material'' means a 
material that does not qualify as originating under General Note 25, 
HTSUS;
    (j) Packing materials and containers for shipment. ``Packing 
materials and containers for shipment'' means the goods used to protect 
a good during its transportation to the United States, and does not 
include the packaging materials and containers in which a good is 
packaged for retail sale;
    (k) Producer. ``Producer'' means a person who grows, raises, mines, 
harvests, fishes, traps, hunts, manufactures, processes, assembles or 
disassembles a good;
    (l) Production. ``Production'' means growing, mining, harvesting, 
fishing, raising, trapping, hunting, manufacturing, processing, 
assembling, or disassembling a good;
    (m) Recovered goods. ``Recovered goods'' means materials in the 
form of individual parts that are the result of:
    (1) The complete disassembly of used goods into individual parts; 
and
    (2) The cleaning, inspecting, testing, or other processing of those 
parts as necessary for improvement to sound working condition by one or 
more of the following processes: Welding, flame spraying, surface 
machining, knurling, plating, sleeving, and rewinding, in order for 
such parts to be assembled with other parts, including other recovered 
parts, in the production of a remanufactured good as defined in 
paragraph (o) of this section;
    (n) Relationship. ``Relationship'' means whether the buyer and 
seller are related parties in accordance with Article 15.4 of the 
Customs Valuation Agreement;
    (o) Remanufactured good. ``Remanufactured good'' means an 
industrial good assembled in the territory of Singapore or the United 
States that is enumerated in Annex 3C, SFTA, and:
    (1) Is entirely or partially comprised of recovered goods;
    (2) Has the same life expectancy and meets the same performance 
standards as a new good; and
    (3) Enjoys the same factory warranty as such a new good;
    (p) Self-produced material. ``Self-produced material'' means a 
good, such as a part or ingredient, produced by the producer and used 
by the producer in the production of another good; and
    (q) Value. ``Value'' means the value of a good or material for 
purposes of calculating customs duties or for purposes of applying this 
subpart.


Sec.  10.531  Originating goods.

    Except as provided in Sec.  10.543 of this subpart, a good imported 
into the customs territory of the United States will be considered an 
originating good under the SFTA only if:
    (a) The good is wholly obtained or produced entirely in the 
territory of one or both of the Parties;

[[Page 31999]]

    (b) The good is transformed in one or both of the Parties so that:
    (1) Each non-originating material undergoes an applicable change in 
tariff classification specified in General Note 25(o), HTSUS, as a 
result of production occurring entirely in the territory of one or both 
of the Parties; and
    (2) The good otherwise satisfies any applicable regional value 
content or other requirements specified in General Note 25(o), HTSUS; 
or
    (c) The good, in its condition as imported into the United States, 
is enumerated as an Integrated Sourcing Initiative good in General Note 
25(m), HTSUS, and is imported from the territory of Singapore.


Sec.  10.532  Integrated Sourcing Initiative.

    (a) For purposes of General Note 25(b)(ii), HTSUS, a good is 
eligible for treatment as an originating good under the Integrated 
Sourcing Initiative if:
    (1) The good, in its condition as imported, is both classified in a 
tariff provision enumerated in the first column of General Note 25(m), 
HTSUS, and described opposite that tariff provision in the list of 
information technology articles set forth in the second column of 
General Note 25(m), HTSUS;
    (2) The good, regardless of its origin, is imported into the 
territory of the United States from the territory of Singapore. If a 
product of a non-Party, the good must have been imported into Singapore 
prior to its importation into the territory of the United States; and
    (3) The good satisfies the conditions and requirements of Sec.  
10.542 relating to third country transportation.
    (b) A good enumerated in General Note 25(m), HTSUS, that is used in 
the production of another good in Singapore will not be considered an 
originating material for purposes of determining the eligibility for 
preferential tariff treatment of such other good unless:
    (1) The good enumerated in General Note 25(m), HTSUS, satisfies an 
applicable rule of origin set out in General Note 25(o), HTSUS; or
    (2) The good enumerated in General Note 25(m), HTSUS, is imported 
into the territory of Singapore from the territory of the United States 
prior to being used in the production of a good in Singapore.


Sec.  10.533  De minimis.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a 
good that does not undergo a change in tariff classification pursuant 
to General Note 25(o), HTSUS, will nonetheless be considered to be an 
originating good if:
    (1) The value of all non-originating materials used in the 
production of the good that do not undergo the applicable change in 
tariff classification does not exceed 10 percent of the adjusted value 
of the good;
    (2) The value of the non-originating materials described in 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section is included in calculating the value 
of non-originating materials for any applicable regional value content 
requirement for the good under General Note 25(o), HTSUS; and
    (3) The good meets all other applicable requirements of General 
Note 25, HTSUS.
    (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to:
    (1) A non-originating material provided for in Chapter 4, HTSUS, or 
in subheading 1901.90, HTSUS, that is used in the production of a good 
provided for in Chapter 4, HTSUS;
    (2) A non-originating material provided for in Chapter 4, HTSUS, or 
in subheading 1901.90, HTSUS, that is used in the production of a good 
provided for in one of the following HTSUS provisions: Subheading 
1901.10, 1901.20 or 1901.90; heading 2105; or subheading 2106.90, 
2202.90 or 2309.90;
    (3) A non-originating material provided for in heading 0805, HTSUS, 
or subheadings 2009.11 through 2009.39, HTSUS, that is used in the 
production of a good provided for in subheadings 2009.11 through 
2009.39, HTSUS, or in subheading 2106.90 or 2202.90, HTSUS;
    (4) A non-originating material provided for in Chapter 15, HTSUS, 
that is used in the production of a good provided for in headings 1501 
through 1508, 1512, 1514 or 1515, HTSUS;
    (5) A non-originating material provided for in heading 1701, HTSUS, 
that is used in the production of a good provided for in headings 1701 
through 1703, HTSUS;
    (6) A non-originating material provided for in Chapter 17, HTSUS, 
or heading 1805, HTSUS, that is used in the production of a good 
provided for in subheading 1806.10, HTSUS;
    (7) A non-originating material provided for in headings 2203 
through 2208, HTSUS, that is used in the production of a good provided 
for in heading 2207 or 2208, HTSUS; and
    (8) A non-originating material used in the production of a good 
provided for in Chapters 1 through 21, HTSUS, unless the non-
originating material is provided for in a different subheading than the 
good for which origin is being determined.
    (c) A textile or apparel good provided for in Chapters 50 through 
63, HTSUS, that is not an originating good because certain fibers or 
yarns used in the production of the component of the good that 
determines the tariff classification of the good do not undergo an 
applicable change in tariff classification set out in General Note 
25(o), HTSUS, will nevertheless be considered to be an originating good 
if the total weight of all such fibers or yarns in that component is 
not more than 7 percent of the total weight of that component. 
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a textile or apparel good 
containing elastomeric yarns in the component of the good that 
determines the tariff classification of the good will be considered an 
originating good only if such yarns are wholly formed in the territory 
of a Party.


Sec.  10.534  Accumulation.

    (a) Originating materials of Singapore or the United States that 
are used in the production of a good in the territory of the other 
party will be considered to originate in the territory of the other 
party.
    (b) A good that is produced in the territory of one or both of the 
Parties by one or more producers, will be considered an originating 
good if the good satisfies:
    (1) The applicable requirements of Sec.  10.531 of this subpart and 
General Note 25, HTSUS; or
    (2) The provisions of Sec.  10.532 of this subpart.


Sec.  10.535  Regional value content.

    (a) General. Where General Note 25(o), HTSUS, sets forth a rule 
that specifies a regional value content test for a good, the regional 
value content of such good must be calculated, at the choice of the 
person claiming the preferential tariff treatment for such good, on the 
basis of the build-down method or the build-up method described in 
paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, unless otherwise specified in 
General Note 25(o), HTSUS.
    (b) Build-down method. Under the build-down method, the regional 
value content must be calculated on the basis of the formula RVC = ((AV 
-VNM)/AV) x 100, where RVC is the regional value content, expressed as 
a percentage; AV is the adjusted value; and VNM is the value of non-
originating materials that are acquired and used by the pro