Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule To Conform With Amendments to the Harmonized System Recommended by the World Customs Organization, and To Address Other Matters, 50943-50944 [2014-20175]

Agencies

• INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 165 (Tuesday, August 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50943-50944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20175]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 1205-11]


Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule To 
Conform With Amendments to the Harmonized System Recommended by the 
World Customs Organization, and To Address Other Matters

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of institution of investigation.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has instituted investigation No. 1205-11, 
Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to Conform 
with Amendments to the Harmonized System Recommended by the World 
Customs Organization, and to Address Other Matters, pursuant to section 
1205 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the 1988 
Act) (19 U.S.C. 3005), in order to recommend to the President 
modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTS).
    The recommended modifications concern (1) the World Customs 
Organization's (WCO) Recommendation of June 27, 2014 that Contracting 
Parties to the International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity 
Description and Coding System (Convention) modify their tariff 
schedules to conform with amendments to the Harmonized System expected 
to enter into force on January 1, 2017; and (2) whether one of the two 
HTS subheadings that apply to taro (also known as dasheens) should be 
deleted, and whether the HTS nomenclature for corned beef should be 
provided for under a superior subheading for cured meat of bovine 
animals.

DATES: August 20, 2014: Posting of the WCO's Recommendation of June 27, 
2014, on the Commission Web site. December 2014 (actual date to be 
announced later): Posting of the Commission's proposed recommendations 
on the Commission's Web site.
    February 2015 (actual date to be announced later): Deadline for 
interested Federal agencies and the public to file written views on the 
Commission's proposed recommendations. July 2015 (actual date to be 
announced later): Transmittal of the Commission's report to the 
President.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at https://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel P. Shepherdson, Attorney-
Advisor, Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (202-205-2598, 
or Daniel.Shepherdson@usitc.gov) or John Kitzmiller, Nomenclature 
Analyst, Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (202-205-3387, 
or John.Kitzmiller@usitc.gov). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819, or 
Margaret.OLaughlin@usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information about the Commission may be 
obtained by accessing the Commission Web site at www.usitc.gov. Persons 
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining 
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 
202-205-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: Section 1205(a) of the 1988 Act requires that the 
Commission keep the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(Harmonized Tariff Schedule or HTS) under continuous review and 
periodically recommend to the President such modifications in the HTS 
as the Commission considers necessary or appropriate, including to 
conform the HTS with amendments made to the International Convention on 
the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Convention), 
which contains the Harmonized System nomenclature in the Annex to the 
Convention.
    The Harmonized System nomenclature provides uniform product 
architecture for the customs tariffs and statistical nomenclatures of 
all major trading countries of the world, including the United States. 
The Harmonized System establishes the general arrangement or structure 
of product categories, set forth in chapters, 4-digit headings and 6-
digit subheadings. It also includes the general rules of 
interpretation, and section and chapter legal notes that define the 
scope of sections, chapters, 4-digit headings and 6-digit subheadings. 
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule is based on the Harmonized System 
nomenclature. In addition, however, the HTS includes national 
subdivisions (8-digit subheadings and 10-digit statistical 
annotations), as well as additional U.S. chapter notes, and other 
national provisions that facilitate the administration of U.S. customs, 
tariff and statistical programs.
    On June 27, 2014, the WCO adopted recommended amendments to the 
Harmonized System nomenclature that are scheduled to enter into force 
on January 1, 2017. The amendments are the fifth in a series of such 
amendments and are part of the WCO's ongoing program of periodically 
reviewing and updating the Harmonized System nomenclature. The 
Commission has posted a copy of the WCO amendments on its Web site at 
www.usitc.gov. The Commission will recommend to the President such 
modifications in the HTS as it considers necessary or appropriate to 
conform the HTS with such amendments.
    The Commission will also consider two additional possible 
modifications in the HTS identified by U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection as part of this investigation. The first relates to the HTS 
nomenclature for taro (also known as dasheens). In the HTS, fresh or

[[Page 50944]]

chilled taro is provided for in HTS subheading 0714.40.10, while fresh 
or chilled dasheens are provided for in HTS subheading 0714.90.10. As 
part of this investigation, the Commission intends to consider whether 
it is necessary or appropriate to recommend to the President that one 
of the two subheadings be deleted from the HTS. The second additional 
possible modification relates to the HTS nomenclature for corned beef, 
which is provided for in HTS subheading 1602.50.10. The superior 
subheading to subheading 1602.50.10 provides for certain meat of bovine 
animals that is not cured. However, corned beef is a cured meat 
product. As part of this investigation, the Commission intends to 
consider whether it is necessary or appropriate to recommend to the 
President that the HTS be modified to provide for corned beef under a 
superior subheading for cured meat of bovine animals.
    An up-to-date copy of the HTS, which incorporates the Harmonized 
System in its overall structure, can be found on the Commission Web 
site at www.usitc.gov. Hard copies and electronic copies on CD can be 
found at many of the 1,400 Federal Depository Libraries located 
throughout the United States and its territories; further information 
about these locations can be found at www.gpoaccess.gov or by 
contacting GPO Access by telephone at (866) 512-1800.
    Proposed Recommendations, Opportunity To Comment: In preparing its 
recommended modifications, the Commission will first prepare proposed 
recommendations and provide opportunity to interested Federal agencies 
and the public to present their views in writing on those proposed 
recommendations. The Commission expects to publish the proposed 
recommendations on its Web site in December 2014, and will publish a 
notice in the Federal Register at that time providing notice of their 
availability and the procedures for filing written views, including the 
date by which such written views must be filed. To assist the public in 
understanding the proposed changes and in developing comments, the 
Commission will include, with the proposed recommendations and in its 
report to the President, a non-authoritative cross-reference table 
linking the proposed tariff codes to the corresponding current tariff 
codes. Persons using the successive versions of this table should be 
aware that the cross-references shown are subject to change during the 
course of the investigation.
    Recommendations to the President: The Commission will submit its 
recommended modifications to the President in the form of a report that 
will include a summary of the information on which the recommendations 
were based, together with a statement of the probable economic effect 
of each recommended change on any industry in the United States. The 
report also will include a copy of all written views submitted by 
interested Federal agencies and a copy or summary, prepared by the 
Commission, of the views of all other interested parties. The 
Commission expects to submit that report in July 2015.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: August 20, 2014.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2014-20175 Filed 8-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P