January 5, 2022 | Anahi Czeszewski Product Development Manager
On December 28, 2021, a presidential proclamation was published in the Federal Register to modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) as a result of the 351 sets of upcoming amendments to the Harmonized System (HS). As these changes to the HTSUS soon go into effect, ensure you adapt to them to avoid costly compliance issues or inconvenient supply chain delays.
Following the release of the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) proposed amendments to the HS nomenclature—which is undertaken every five years—the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) began its internal review of the HTSUS.
The WCO identified the necessary modifications required to remain consistent with the upcoming HS amendments, and in turn, promote the uniform application of the HS Convention. The USITC, as a result of its continuous efforts to lawfully conform the HTSUS to the upcoming amendments, issued its proposed recommendations to the President in May 2021.
President Biden determined the USITC’s recommended modifications properly conform with U.S. obligations under the HS Convention. Accordingly, on December 23, 2021, the Biden Administration published a proclamation, announcing the specific amendments to the HTSUS to implement the five-year update to the WCO’s HS tariff nomenclature. A formal Federal Register notice was subsequently published on December 28, 2021.
Customs classification updates can result in significant implications to shippers engaging in cross-border trade, some of which include:
Exercising proactivity in preparation for the upcoming HTSUS changes is critical for companies importing merchandise into the United States. Act now to understand the impact the upcoming HTSUS changes will have on your company by applying these steps today:
Need help understanding which of your classifications will be affected by the upcoming changes to the HTSUS? C.H. Robinson has a tool to help you quickly analyze these changes specific to your business, thereby allowing you to identify your new tariff classifications. Have instances where upcoming changes result in multiple tariff classification possibilities? Our dedicated classification team can assist with the classification of your specific commodities. Connect with one of our trade policy experts to learn more.