80 FR 44986 - Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 144 (July 28, 2015)

Page Range		44986-44987
FR Document		2015-18459

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a renewable preferential trade program that allows the eligible products of designated beneficiary developing countries to directly enter the United States free of duty. The GSP program expired on July 31, 2013, but has been renewed through December 31, 2017, effective July 29, 2015, with retroactive effect between August 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015, by a provision in the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015. This document provides notice to importers that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will again accept claims for GSP duty-free treatment for merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption and that CBP will process refunds on duties paid, without interest, on GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered during the period that the GSP program was lapsed. Formal and informal entries that were filed electronically via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special Program Indicator (SPI) Code ``A'' as a prefix to the tariff number will be automatically processed by CBP and no further action by the filer is required to initiate the refund process. Non-ABI filers, and ABI filers that did not include SPI Code ``A'' on the entry, must timely submit a duty refund request to CBP. CBP will continue conducting verifications to ensure that GSP benefits are available to eligible entries only.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44986-44987]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18459]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive
Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.

ACTION: General notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a renewable
preferential trade program that allows the eligible products of
designated beneficiary developing countries to directly enter the
United States free of duty. The GSP program expired on July 31, 2013,
but has been renewed through December 31, 2017, effective July 29,
2015, with retroactive effect between August 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015,
by a provision in the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015. This
document provides notice to importers that U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) will again accept claims for GSP duty-free treatment
for merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption
and that CBP will process refunds on duties paid, without interest, on
GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered during the period that the
GSP program was lapsed. Formal and informal entries that were filed
electronically via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special
Program Indicator (SPI) Code ``A'' as a prefix to the tariff number
will be automatically processed by CBP and no further action by the
filer is required to initiate the refund process. Non-ABI filers, and
ABI filers that did not include SPI Code ``A'' on the entry, must
timely submit a duty refund request to CBP. CBP will continue
conducting verifications to ensure that GSP benefits are available to
eligible entries only.

DATES: Effective July 29, 2015, the filing of GSP-eligible entry
summaries may be resumed without the payment of estimated duties, and
CBP will initiate the automatic liquidation or reliquidation of formal
and informal entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or
after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed via ABI with SPI
Code ``A'' notated on the entry. Requests for refunds of GSP duties
paid on eligible non-ABI entries, or eligible ABI entries filed without
SPI Code ``A,'' must be filed with CBP no later than December 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Instructions for submitting a request to CBP to liquidate or
reliquidate entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or
after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 are located at http://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions concerning this
notice should be directed to Maggie Gray, Office of International
Trade, Trade Agreements Branch, 202-863-6621. For operational questions
regarding: Formal/Informal Entries and Baggage Declarations: Celestine
Harrell, 202-863-6937; Mail Entries: Katherine Changes, 202-344-1767 or
Robert Woods, 202-344-1236; Non-ABI Informal Entries: contact the port
of entry where goods were entered. Questions from filers regarding ABI
transmissions should be directed to their assigned ABI client
representative.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 501 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461),
authorizes the President to establish a Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) to provide duty-free treatment for eligible articles
imported directly from designated beneficiary countries for specific
time periods. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2465, as amended by section 1011(a)
of Public Law 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681, duty-free treatment under the
GSP program expired on July 31, 2013. On June 29, 2015, the President
signed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Publ. L. 114-27).
Section 201 of Public Law 114-27 pertains to the extension of duty-free
treatment and the retroactive application for certain liquidations and
reliquidations under the GSP. Section 201(b)(1) provides that GSP duty-
free treatment will be applied to eligible articles from designated
beneficiary countries that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse,
for consumption on or after July 29, 2015 through December 31, 2017.
Section 201(b)(2) provides that for entries made on or after August 1,
2013 through July 28, 2015, to which duty-free treatment would have
applied if GSP had been in effect during that time period (``covered
entries''), any duty paid with respect to such entry will be refunded
provided that a request for liquidation or reliquidation of that entry,
containing sufficient information to enable U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) to locate the entry or to reconstruct the entry if it
cannot be located, is filed with CBP by December 28, 2015 (180 days
after enactment of Pub. L. 114-27). Section 201(b)(2)(C) provides that
any amounts owed by the

[[Page 44987]]

United States pursuant to section 2(b)(2)(A) will be paid without
interest.
Field locations will not issue GSP refunds except as instructed to
do so by CBP Headquarters. The processing of retroactive GSP duty
refunds will be administered by CBP according to the terms set forth
below.

Duty-Free Entry Summaries

Effective July 29, 2015, filers may resume filing GSP-eligible
entry summaries without the payment of estimated duties.

GSP Duty Refunds

Formal/Informal Entries

CBP will automatically liquidate or reliquidate formal and informal
entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that were entered on or after
August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed electronically via the
Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special Program Indicator (SPI)
Code ``A'' as a prefix to the listed tariff number. Such entry filings
will be treated as a conforming request for a liquidation or
reliquidation pursuant to section 201(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 114-27,
and no further action by the filer will be required to initiate a
retroactive GSP duty refund. CBP expects to begin processing automatic
refunds for these entries shortly after July 29, 2015.
CBP will not automatically process GSP duty refunds for formal
covered entries that were not filed electronically via ABI, nor for
formal and informal covered entries that were filed electronically via
ABI with payment of estimated duties, but without inclusion of the SPI
Code ``A'' as a prefix to the listed tariff number. In both situations,
requests for liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries must be
made by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in
http://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Mail Entries

For merchandise that was imported via the mail, addressees must
request liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries by December 28,
2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in http://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Baggage Declarations and Non-ABI Informals

Travelers/importers must request liquidation or reliquidation of
covered entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set
forth in http://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Countries Eligible for Retroactive Benefits

The Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 reauthorization of GSP
provides retroactive benefits only to goods from a country that is a
beneficiary of the GSP program as of July 29, 2015. As such, this
excludes countries such as Bangladesh \1\ and Russia \2\ that lost
eligibility between July 31, 2013 and July 29, 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ See 78 FR 39949 (July 2, 2013).
\2\ See 79 FR 60945 (October 8, 2014).

Dated: July 23, 2015.
Brenda Smith,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade.
[FR Doc. 2015-18459 Filed 7-27-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P

44986 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 144 / Tuesday, July 28, 2015 / Notices

Duration of the Test DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND reliquidate entries of GSP-eligible
SECURITY merchandise that was entered on or
CBP will collect biographic after August 1, 2013 through July 28,
information and fingerprint data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection 2015 are located at http://www.cbp.gov/
select non-exempt aliens departing on trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/
selected international flights from the Renewal of the Generalized System of special-trade-legislation/generalized-
identified airports for a period of Preferences and Retroactive system-preferences.
approximately one year from the start of Application for Certain Liquidations
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
the test. The information collected will and Reliquidations Under the GSP
General questions concerning this
constitute a departure record for that AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border notice should be directed to Maggie
alien and will be maintained in the CBP Protection, Department of Homeland Gray, Office of International Trade,
and DHS databases for recording entries Security. Trade Agreements Branch, 202–863–
and departures. ACTION: General notice. 6621. For operational questions
Privacy regarding: Formal/Informal Entries and
SUMMARY: The Generalized System of Baggage Declarations: Celestine Harrell,
CBP will ensure that all Privacy Act Preferences (GSP) is a renewable 202–863–6937; Mail Entries: Katherine
requirements and applicable policies are preferential trade program that allows Changes, 202–344–1767 or Robert
adhered to during the implementation the eligible products of designated Woods, 202–344–1236; Non-ABI
of this test. Additionally, CBP will be beneficiary developing countries to Informal Entries: contact the port of
issuing a Privacy Impact Assessment directly enter the United States free of entry where goods were entered.
(PIA), which will outline how CBP will duty. The GSP program expired on July Questions from filers regarding ABI
ensure compliance with Privacy Act 31, 2013, but has been renewed through transmissions should be directed to
protections. The PIA will examine the December 31, 2017, effective July 29, their assigned ABI client representative.
privacy impact of the BE-Mobile Air 2015, with retroactive effect between SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Test as it relates to DHS’s Fair August 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015, by a
provision in the Trade Preferences Background
Information Practice Principles (FIPPs).
Extension Act of 2015. This document Section 501 of the Trade Act of 1974,
The FIPPs account for the nature and
provides notice to importers that U.S. as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461), authorizes
purpose of the information being
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the President to establish a Generalized
collected in relation to DHS’s mission to
will again accept claims for GSP duty- System of Preferences (GSP) to provide
preserve, protect and secure the United
free treatment for merchandise entered, duty-free treatment for eligible articles
States. The PIA will address issues such or withdrawn from warehouse, for
as the security, integrity, and sharing of imported directly from designated
consumption and that CBP will process beneficiary countries for specific time
data, use limitation and transparency. refunds on duties paid, without interest,
Once issued, the PIA will be made periods. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2465, as
on GSP-eligible merchandise that was amended by section 1011(a) of Public
publicly available at: http:// entered during the period that the GSP
www.dhs.gov/privacy-documents-us- Law 105–277, 112 Stat. 2681, duty-free
program was lapsed. Formal and treatment under the GSP program
customs-and-border-protection. CBP has informal entries that were filed expired on July 31, 2013. On June 29,
also issued an update to the DHS/CBP– electronically via the Automated Broker 2015, the President signed the Trade
007 Border Crossing Information (BCI) Interface (ABI) using Special Program Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Publ.
System of Records, which fully Indicator (SPI) Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to L. 114–27). Section 201 of Public Law
encompasses all the data that is being the tariff number will be automatically 114–27 pertains to the extension of
collected at the selected airports. The processed by CBP and no further action duty-free treatment and the retroactive
system of records notice (SORN) was by the filer is required to initiate the application for certain liquidations and
published in the Federal Register on refund process. Non-ABI filers, and ABI reliquidations under the GSP. Section
May 11, 2015 (80 FR 26937). filers that did not include SPI Code ‘‘A’’ 201(b)(1) provides that GSP duty-free
Paperwork Reduction Act on the entry, must timely submit a duty treatment will be applied to eligible
refund request to CBP. CBP will articles from designated beneficiary
CBP requires aliens subject to this continue conducting verifications to countries that are entered, or withdrawn
notice to provide biometric and ensure that GSP benefits are available to from warehouse, for consumption on or
biographic data at the airports selected eligible entries only. after July 29, 2015 through December
for the test in the circumstances DATES: Effective July 29, 2015, the filing 31, 2017. Section 201(b)(2) provides that
described above. This requirement is of GSP-eligible entry summaries may be for entries made on or after August 1,
considered an information collection resumed without the payment of 2013 through July 28, 2015, to which
requirement under the Paperwork estimated duties, and CBP will initiate duty-free treatment would have applied
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.). the automatic liquidation or if GSP had been in effect during that
The Office of Management and Budget reliquidation of formal and informal time period (‘‘covered entries’’), any
(OMB), in accordance with the entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that duty paid with respect to such entry
Paperwork Reduction Act, has was entered on or after August 1, 2013 will be refunded provided that a request
previously approved this information through July 28, 2015 and filed via ABI for liquidation or reliquidation of that
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

collection for use. The OMB control with SPI Code ‘‘A’’ notated on the entry. entry, containing sufficient information
number for this collection is 1651–0138. Requests for refunds of GSP duties paid to enable U.S. Customs and Border
on eligible non-ABI entries, or eligible Protection (CBP) to locate the entry or
Date: July 22, 2015.
ABI entries filed without SPI Code ‘‘A,’’ to reconstruct the entry if it cannot be
R. Gil Kerlikowske, must be filed with CBP no later than located, is filed with CBP by December
Commissioner. December 28, 2015. 28, 2015 (180 days after enactment of
[FR Doc. 2015–18418 Filed 7–27–15; 8:45 am] ADDRESSES: Instructions for submitting a Pub. L. 114–27). Section 201(b)(2)(C)
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P request to CBP to liquidate or provides that any amounts owed by the

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:17 Jul 27, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM 28JYN1

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 144 / Tuesday, July 28, 2015 / Notices 44987

United States pursuant to section to the procedures set forth in http:// or speech impairments may access this
2(b)(2)(A) will be paid without interest. www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ number through TTY by calling the toll-
Field locations will not issue GSP trade-agreements/special-trade- free Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–
refunds except as instructed to do so by legislation/generalized-system- 8339.
CBP Headquarters. The processing of preferences. Copies of available documents
retroactive GSP duty refunds will be submitted to OMB may be obtained
administered by CBP according to the Countries Eligible for Retroactive
from Ms. Pollard.
terms set forth below. Benefits
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
The Trade Preferences Extension Act notice informs the public that HUD is
Duty-Free Entry Summaries
of 2015 reauthorization of GSP provides seeking approval from OMB for the
Effective July 29, 2015, filers may retroactive benefits only to goods from
resume filing GSP-eligible entry information collection described in
a country that is a beneficiary of the Section A.
summaries without the payment of GSP program as of July 29, 2015. As
estimated duties. The Federal Register notice that
such, this excludes countries such as solicited public comment on the
GSP Duty Refunds Bangladesh 1 and Russia 2 that lost information collection for a period of 60
eligibility between July 31, 2013 and days was published on April 28, 2015
Formal/Informal Entries July 29, 2015. at 80 FR 23564.
CBP will automatically liquidate or Dated: July 23, 2015.
reliquidate formal and informal entries A. Overview of Information Collection
Brenda Smith,
of GSP-eligible merchandise that were Assistant Commissioner, Office of Title of Information Collection:
entered on or after August 1, 2013 International Trade. Service Coordinators in Multifamily
through July 28, 2015 and filed [FR Doc. 2015–18459 Filed 7–27–15; 8:45 am] Housing.
electronically via the Automated Broker OMB Approval Number: 2502–0447.
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
Interface (ABI) using Special Program Type of Request: Revision of currently
Indicator (SPI) Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to approved collection.
the listed tariff number. Such entry Form Numbers: HUD–2530, HUD–
filings will be treated as a conforming DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT 92456, HUD–92456–G, HUD–50080–
request for a liquidation or reliquidation SCMF, HUD–91186, HUD–91186–A,
pursuant to section 201(b)(2)(B) of [Docket No. FR–5831–N–37] SF–424, SF–424-Supp, HUD–2880, SF–
Public Law 114–27, and no further LLL, SF–425.
action by the filer will be required to 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information
Description of the need for the
initiate a retroactive GSP duty refund. Collection: Service Coordinators in
information and proposed use:
CBP expects to begin processing Multifamily Housing
This request seeks approval for the
automatic refunds for these entries following items:
AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information
shortly after July 29, 2015.
Officer, HUD. 1. Revision of form HUD–50080–
CBP will not automatically process
ACTION: Notice. SCMF;
GSP duty refunds for formal covered
entries that were not filed electronically 2. Elimination of the standard form
SUMMARY: HUD has submitted the (SF) 425 ‘‘Federal Financial Report’’ and
via ABI, nor for formal and informal proposed information collection
covered entries that were filed form HUD–96010 ‘‘Logic Model’’ for
requirement described below to the Service Coordinator in Multifamily
electronically via ABI with payment of Office of Management and Budget
estimated duties, but without inclusion Housing grant recipients, and
(OMB) for review, in accordance with 3. Grant application intake
of the SPI Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to the the Paperwork Reduction Act. The
listed tariff number. In both situations, submission requirements for the
purpose of this notice is to allow for an Upcoming Notice of Funding
requests for liquidation or reliquidation additional 30 days of public comment.
of covered entries must be made by availability (NOFA) for the Seniors and
DATES: Comments Due Date: August 27, Services Demonstration program. The
December 28, 2015 pursuant to the
2015. eligible applicant pool for this
procedures set forth in http://
www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ ADDRESSES: Interested persons are demonstration will be aligned with the
trade-agreements/special-trade- invited to submit comments regarding Service Coordinators in Multifamily
legislation/generalized-system- this proposal. Comments should refer to Housing program.
preferences. the proposal by name and/or OMB As a result, this request will reduce
Control Number and should be sent to: the number of respondents, responses
Mail Entries HUD Desk Officer, Office of per annum, frequency of Responses, and
For merchandise that was imported Management and Budget, New total Estimated Burden hours.
via the mail, addressees must request Executive Office Building, Washington, The collection of information is
liquidation or reliquidation of covered DC 20503; fax: 202–395–5806. Email: necessary to ensure efficient and proper
entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov. use of funds for eligible activities.
to the procedures set forth in http:// FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Without this information, HUD staff
www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ Anna Guido, Reports Management cannot assess the need for funds and
effectively monitor grantees’ program
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

trade-agreements/special-trade- Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing
legislation/generalized-system- and Urban Development, 451 7th Street performance and administration. In
preferences. SW., Washington, DC 20410; email addition, the information collection will
Colette Pollard at Colette Pollard@hud. assist applicants in better determining
Baggage Declarations and Non-ABI their need for funds. The information
or telephone 202–402–3400. This is not
Informals will also enable grantees to more
a toll-free number. Persons with hearing
Travelers/importers must request effectively evaluate their program
liquidation or reliquidation of covered 1 See 78 FR 39949 (July 2, 2013). performance; account for funds, and
entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant 2 See 79 FR 60945 (October 8, 2014). maintain appropriate program records.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:17 Jul 27, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM 28JYN1

Document Created: 2018-02-23 09:28:31
Document Modified: 2018-02-23 09:28:31

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		General notice.
Dates		Effective July 29, 2015, the filing of GSP-eligible entry summaries may be resumed without the payment of estimated duties, and CBP will initiate the automatic liquidation or reliquidation of formal and informal entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed via ABI with SPI Code ``A'' notated on the entry. Requests for refunds of GSP duties paid on eligible non-ABI entries, or eligible ABI entries filed without SPI Code ``A,'' must be filed with CBP no later than December 28, 2015.
Contact		General questions concerning this notice should be directed to Maggie Gray, Office of International Trade, Trade Agreements Branch, 202-863-6621. For operational questions regarding: Formal/Informal Entries and Baggage Declarations: Celestine Harrell, 202-863-6937; Mail Entries: Katherine Changes, 202-344-1767 or Robert Woods, 202-344-1236; Non-ABI Informal Entries: contact the port of entry where goods were entered. Questions from filers regarding ABI transmissions should be directed to their assigned ABI client representative.
FR Citation		80 FR 44986

80 FR 44986 - Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYU.S. Customs and Border Protection

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 144 (July 28, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection