Revocation of One Ruling Letter and Revocation of Treatment Relating to the Tariff Classification of a Decorative Wood Box - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
ACTION: Notice of revocation of one ruling letter and of revocation of treatment relating to the tariff classification of a decorative wooden box.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 625(c), Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1625(c)), as amended by section 623 of title VI (Customs Modernization) of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementtion Act (Pub. L. 103–182, 107 Stat. 2057), this notice advises interested parties that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is revoking one ruling letter concerning tariff classification of a decorative wood box under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Similarly, CBP is revoking any treatment previously accorded by CBP to substantially identical transactions. Notice of the proposed action was published in the Customs Bulletin, Vol. 57, No. 33, on September 13, 2023. No comments were received in response to that notice.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This action is effective for merchandise entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after January 28, 2024.
Read further________________________________________________________________________________
Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders on Certain Aluminum Foil From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Determinations of Circumvention With Respect to the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Thailand
• Certain New Pneumatic Off-the-Road Tires From India: Notice of Correction to the Final Results, and Amended Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2021
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Certain Pea Protein From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Aluminum Extrusions From China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam
• Certain Products Containing Tirzepatide and Products Purporting To Contain Tirzepatide; Notice of Institution of Investigation
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Heavy Walled Rectangular Welded Carbon Steel Pipes and Tubes From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2021-2022
• Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2021-2022
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Thermal Paper From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2021-2022
• Silicon Metal From the People's Republic of China: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order
• Thermal Paper From the Republic of Germany: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2021-2022
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Boltless Steel Shelving Units Prepackaged for Sale From Taiwan: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
• Boltless Steel Shelving Units Prepackaged for Sale From Malaysia: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
• Boltless Steel Shelving Units Prepackaged for Sale From Thailand: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
• Boltless Steel Shelving Units Prepackaged for Sale From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
• Boltless Steel Shelving Units Prepackaged for Sale From India: Preliminary Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Postponement of Final Determination
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of China: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order
• Certain Folding Gift Boxes From the People's Republic of China: Continuation of the Antidumping Duty Order
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative Review and Join Annual Inquiry Service List
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Advance Notification of Sunset Review
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Forged Steel Fittings From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order
• Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand From Ukraine: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022-2023
• Forged Steel Fittings From the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, and Italy: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders
• Light-Walled Welded Rectangular Carbon Steel Tubing From Taiwan: Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022-2023
________________________________________________________________________________
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Supply Chain Resilience Center to Protect U.S. Supply Chain from Evolving Threats - U.S. Department of Homeland Security
New DHS Center to Examine Security of U.S. Port Infrastructure, Provide Recommendations to Private Sector Stakeholders by Early 2024
WASHINGTON – As part of the inaugural meeting of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience, President Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas unveiled the Supply Chain Resilience Center (SCRC), a new U.S. government entity designed to collaborate with the private sector to better secure our supply chains. The SCRC will analyze vulnerabilities and conduct scenario planning with private sector stakeholders to help mitigate supply chain disruptions, ensure reliable and efficient deliveries of goods and services, and lower costs for the American people. This announcement is one of many from the Biden-Harris Administration today that will help Americans get the products they need when they need them.
“Securing our critical infrastructure is fundamental to staying competitive in a 21st century economy, and the Department of Homeland Security’s new Supply Chain Resilience Center will enhance our efforts to do just that,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “The global pandemic has revealed that the supply chains that Americans rely upon for food and essential other goods must be more robust and resilient. Conflict, political instability, and climate change could challenge our supply chains in the years ahead. The Supply Chain Resilience Center will help American businesses and the federal government anticipate these disruptions and play a key role in the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to prevent them.”
Disruptions of goods and services can have public safety and security implications. The SCRC will maximize DHS’s authorities, capabilities, expertise, and data sources to help safeguard critical supply chains and associated infrastructure against hazards, including those posed by our adversaries, and emerging technologies At launch the SCRC will:
Identify security vulnerabilities at U.S. seaports and develop concrete and actionable solutions to mitigate threats to the U.S. supply chain. This includes evaluating the risks to ports posed by adversarial nation state threats, overreliance on untrustworthy equipment subject to nation-state control, data extraction, insider risk, and unvetted virtual and physical access. The SCRC will closely collaborate with port authorities and operators, shipping, transportation, logistics, and other industry stakeholders, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct its analysis. Future analysis and recommendations will include reservation systems, logistics management platforms, and data production. This work will complement other ongoing agency efforts to address port security vulnerabilities, including our shared interest in reducing cyber-related risks from different sources, including untrusted or unauthorized access. In early 2024, the SCRC will release an updated compilation of key DHS port security advisories with recommendations for areas benefitting from enhanced public-private collaboration.
Launch efforts, in coordination with the Department of Commerce and the private sector, to help secure the semiconductor supply chain, strengthen resilience, and further the implementation of the CHIPS Act.
Partner with industry to identify how the U.S. government can ensure strategically valuable infrastructure owners and operators can provide essential goods and services to the American people in instances of disruptions or shortages.
Host at least two table-top exercises in 2024 to test the resiliency of critical cross-border supply chains with other U.S. federal agencies, foreign governments, and industry partners.
“Our job is to cut points of friction, streamline lawful trade, address security vulnerabilities head on, and help ensure American consumers and business can access the products they need,” said Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers. “The Supply Chain Resilience Center will bring government and industry around the table so we can become more prepared and coordinated for addressing these challenges.”
In the coming weeks, Secretary Mayorkas will host a roundtable with representatives from the port operations and cargo logistics industries, as well as U.S. importers and exporters, to hear feedback on the SCRC’s work and understand how it can better serve these businesses.
In 2022, Secretary Mayorkas tasked the HSAC to look at what steps DHS could take to achieve a more secure, resilient, and efficient supply chain. HSAC’s Final Report, which was adopted on March 16, recommended DHS “establish a Supply Chain Resilience Center to act as a central clearing house to aggregate and disseminate information about critical supply chain vulnerabilities and disruptions.”
“I am pleased to see Secretary Mayorkas and Undersecretary Silvers act on the recommendations of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) Supply Chain Security Subcommittee to establish a Supply Chain Resiliency Center within DHS to enhance the security of our nation’s supply chains,” said Dmitri Alperovitch, Chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator and Co-Chair of HSAC Supply Chain Security Subcommittee. “The work of the SCRC will be vital for addressing potential vulnerabilities, such as in our nation’s ports infrastructure, and enhancing resiliency of semiconductor supply chains.
The SCRC will reside within the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans. The Center will report to Under Secretary Robert Silvers and Acting Assistant Secretary Christa Brzozowski. It will be comprised of personnel from DHS Headquarters, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) who have intimate supply chain knowledge and expertise, and who will be in regular contact with industry and other stakeholders.
________________________________________________________________________________
USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada - U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on certain softwood lumber products from Canada would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the existing orders on imports of this product from Canada will remain in place.
Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.
Today’s action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.
The Commission’s public report Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-566 and 731-TA-1342 (Review), USITC Publication 5479, December 2023) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.
The report will be available by January 17, 2024; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.
BACKGROUND
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Commission’s institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC’s notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.
The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission’s prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.
The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada were instituted on December 1, 2022.
On March 6, 2023, the Commission voted to conduct full reviews. Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, Randolph J. Stayin, and Amy A. Karpel concluded that the domestic interested party group response and the respondent interested party group response were adequate and voted for full reviews.
________________________________________________________________________________
Dangerous Unapproved Injectable Tightening Gel Seized by Minnesota CBP - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport recently stopped a shipment filled with 2,536 pre-filled syringes of vaginal tightening gel.
On November 20, CBP inspected a shipment arriving from Hong Kong manifested as “Vaginal Tightening Gel”. The shipment was found to contain commercial quantities of a gel inside injectables and required the user to wear chemical resistant gloves when handling. The packages containing the cosmetic gel were found in pink packaging appearing ready for resale.
In coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the items were seized for violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The shipment was destined for a residential address in Woodbury, MN. Had these items been sold, the total domestic value would have been over $19,000.
Medications purchased from online sources can be improperly produced without pharmacological specifications and safeguards that ensure the protection of human health. Medications manufactured in non-regulated foreign companies often contain dangerous contaminants or ineffective compounds, and though their packaging and labelling can be like genuine products, inconsistent ingredients and sub-par quality controls can endanger the consumer.
“This dangerous shipment is another example of someone using unregulated gels to prey on unknowing consumers with false promises,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office. “Not knowing what you are inserting in your body can be deadly, and consumers believe they are getting a discount, when in fact they are purchasing an inferior product with unapproved ingredients.”
The FDA protects the public health by working to secure the drug supply chain against counterfeit and unapproved medications that enter the United States through fraudulent sources. The FDA recommends that consumers talk to their health care professional who is able to identify appropriate therapies for patients and monitor for potential side effects and consider buying prescription medications from state-licensed pharmacies in the U.S. Additionally, only three percent of online pharmacies reviewed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy are in compliance with U.S. pharmacy laws and practice standards, purchasing drugs online is risky not only for the consumer’s health, but also their wallet.
“CBP will continue to investigate and take action against counterfeit and misclassified goods that pose a threat to our economy and our citizens,” said Area Port Director-Minnesota, Augustine Moore. “We work closely with FDA and other partner government agencies to provide comprehensive border enforcement in support of national security.”
E-commerce trade soared during the pandemic, expanding foreign sellers’ market access to the United States. However, these sellers may not have all pertinent information to comply with U.S. admissibility laws, and drugs made in foreign facilities may lack necessary oversight and good manufacturing practices ensuring patient safety. Medications sold in the U.S. must conform to the FDA’s high standards, protecting consumers from dangerous irregularities in drug potency.
As the largest federal law enforcement agency in the United States, CBP has a vast, complex, and dynamic mission faced with constantly changing threats. By being continuously watchful and alert, CBP is dedicated to facilitating lawful trade and travel and protecting the homeland and its people.
________________________________________________________________________________
FTC Returns More than $3 Million to Businesses that Paid for HomeAdvisor Memberships, Announces Claims Process for Additional Refunds - Federal Trade Commission
Agency charged that the company deceptively marketed home improvement project leads
The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $3 million in refunds to businesses that paid for memberships to HomeAdvisor, Inc., a company affiliated with Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List). The agency is also sending claim forms to businesses that are eligible for additional refunds.
The refunds stem from FTC allegations that HomeAdvisor used deceptive marketing tactics when selling home improvement project leads to service providers, including small businesses operating in the “gig” economy. The FTC’s March 2022 complaint alleged that since at least mid-2014, HomeAdvisor made false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims about the quality and source of the leads it was selling to home service providers in search of potential customers. The agency also charged that HomeAdvisor told businesses that their annual membership would include one free month of mHelpDesk, an optional scheduling and payment processing service marketed by HomeAdvisor, but in reality the company charged an additional $59.99 for the first month.
The FTC is sending 110,372 checks to eligible home service providers. These refunds are related to the FTC’s allegations that HomeAdvisor misled businesses about the quality of customer leads they would get with their membership. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.
The agency is also sending 91,273 claims forms to businesses that paid for mHelpDesk. The deadline to submit a claim is February 26, 2024. More information about the refund process is available at www.ftc.gov/HomeAdvisor or by calling the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-833-915-1144. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.
The Commission’s interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2022, Commission actions led to more than $392 million in refunds to consumers across the country.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, get consumer alerts, read our blogs, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.