| Title: | Oman Free Trade Agreement (OFTA) Interim Regulations Published in the Federal Register |
|---|---|
| Date: | 2011-01-13 |
| To: | abi,acep |
| Links: | previous, next |
Interim regulations to the Oman Free Trade Agreement (OFTA), implemented on January 1, 2009, were published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2011. The interim regulations, provided for in Subpart P (19 CFR 10.861-890), may be commented upon through March 7, 2011.
The OFTA provides for a free or reduced rate of duty upon importation into the United States of originating goods that meet the terms of the agreement. Generally speaking, goods other than those that are wholly originating or textiles and certain foodstuffs must meet a substantial transformation + 35% value-added requirement. Textiles and certain confectionary in HTSUS 1701-1703, cocoa preparations in 1806.10, frozen orange juice in 2009, and fortified juice concentrates in 2106.90 are subject to tariff shift rules of origin. Also, be advised that certain tariff shift rules are out of date, as they have not been updated to correspond to the February 3, 2007 HTSUS modifications.
The OFTA provides for post-importation claims within one year of importation in accordance with 19 USC 1520(d).
In addition to duty benefits, originating goods are exempt from the merchandise processing fee (MPF).
The Interim regulations, as well as additional information with respect to the OFTA, including CBP's implementation instructions, the certification statement, and a link to the complete text of the agreement are available on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website, www.cbp.gov, by searching “Oman” and selecting the corresponding Smart Link.
Non-textile Inquiries may be directed to fta@dhs.gov. Textile inquiries may be directed to Bob Abels at robert.abels@dhs.gov or Nancy Mondich at nancy.mondich@dhs.gov.