| Title: | RENEWAL OF PROGRAM |
|---|---|
| Date: | 1994-12-08 |
| To: | abi |
| Links: | previous, next |
TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : ROBYN DAY
SUBJECT : GSP-RENEWAL OF PROGRAM
DATE : 12/08/94
5342071
DECEMBER 8, 1994
CATEGORY: GSP CO:TO:TF:TP LAC
TO : ALL ASSISTANT REGIONAL COMMISSIONERS (OPERATIONS),
REGIONAL DIRECTORS FOR COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, DISTRICT
DIRECTORS
FROM : DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF TRADE OPERATIONS
RE : ENACTMENT OF THE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENTS ACT
PASS TO: IMPORT SPECIALISTS, ENTRY SPECIALISTS, INSPECTORS AND
OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES SUCH AS BROKERS AND IMPORTERS
ON DECEMBER 8, 1994, PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED INTO LAW THE
URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENTS ACT. SECTION 601 OF TITLE VI, SUBTITLE
A, PROVIDES FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE GSP THROUGH JULY 31, 1995, AS
WELL AS FOR THE REFUND OF ALL DUTIES PAID ON GSP-ELIGIBLE
MERCHANDISE THAT WAS ENTERED WHILE THE PROGRAM WAS LAPSED.
ACTION:
1. EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 8, 1994, SECTION 505(A) OF THE TRADE ACT
OF 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2465(A)) IS AMENDED BY STRIKING
"SEPTEMBER 30, 1994" AND INSERTING "JULY 31, 1995".
ACCORDINGLY, GOODS ENTERED ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 8, 1994, ARE
ENTITLED TO BE ENTERED DUTY-FREE, PROVIDED THEY MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE GSP. REPROGRAMMING OF THE AUTOMATED
COMMERCIAL SYSTEM TO ACCEPT DUTY-FREE ENTRY SUMMARIES USING
THE SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR "A" WILL BE COMPLETED SHORTLY.
AN ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE WILL BE ISSUED AS SOON AS
REPROGRAMMING IS COMPLETE.
2. ENTRY SUMMARIES DUE BEFORE DECEMBER 19, 1994
I) UNTIL REPROGRAMMING IS COMPLETE ON DECEMBER 19, 1994,
FILERS MAY EITHER CONTINUE TO FILE SUMMARIES USING THE
SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR "A" WITH THE PAYMENT OF DUTY
AND AWAIT A REFUND, OR FILE NON-ABI SUMMARIES DUTY-FREE
USING THE SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR "A". THE
REQUIREMENT IN ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE #93-0449, DATED
MAY 10, 1993, THAT FILERS WHO OBTAIN RELEASE OF
MERCHANDISE THROUGH ABI MUST ALSO TRANSMIT THE ENTRY
SUMMARY VIA ABI IS BEING WAIVED FOR ENTRY SUMMARIES
COVERING GSP-ELIGIBLE MERCHANDISE UNTIL REPROGRAMMING
IS COMPLETE.
II) IN THE CASE OF NON-ABI SUMMARIES FILED AS FOLLOW-UPS TO
ABI RELEASES, ENTRY SPECIALISTS MUST PLACE THE ENTRY
SUMMARIES IN ACS "ACCEPT" STATUS. FAILURE TO PLACE
SUMMARIES IN "ACCEPT" STATUS WILL CAUSE THE ENTRY
NUMBERS TO APPEAR ON THE LATE REPORT (B08).
4. ENTRY SUMMARIES NOT DUE UNTIL ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 19, 1994
WHERE THE ENTRY SUMMARY IS NOT DUE UNTIL ON OR AFTER
DECEMBER 19, 1994, IT IS ADVISABLE TO TRANSMIT THE
ENTRY DATA TO OBTAIN RELEASE AND TO THEN TRANSMIT THE
SUMMARY DATA AS DUTY-FREE ON OR AFTER DECEMBER 19,
1994. IF THE ENTRY SUMMARY DATA IS TRANSMITTED WITH
THE ENTRY DATA AND IS TRANSMITTED BEFORE DECEMBER 19,
1994, IT MUST BE TRANSMITTED AS DUTIABLE. HOWEVER, IT
CAN BE RE-TRANSMITTED AS NON-DUTIABLE ON OR AFTER
DECEMBER 19, 1994, AS LONG AS IT HAS NOT BEEN CERTIFIED
AND ACCEPTED BY CUSTOMS.
5. FILERS WHO REQUESTED REFUNDS BY USING THE SPECIAL PROGRAM
INDICATOR "A" ON ENTRY SUMMARIES FILED THROUGH THE AUTOMATED
BROKER INTERFACE (ABI), NEED TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION AT THIS
TIME. CUSTOMS HEADQUARTERS WILL BEGIN ISSUING REFUNDS FOR
THESE ENTRY SUMMARIES IN EARLY 1995.
6. NON-ABI FILERS WHO DID NOT REQUEST A REFUND BY USING THE
SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR "A" MUST REQUEST A REFUND IN
WRITING FROM THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMS AT THE PORT OF
ENTRY BY JUNE 6, 1995. A SEPARATE LETTER MAY BE PREPARED
FOR EACH ENTRY SUMMARY, EACH IMPORTER OR MAY COVER ALL ENTRY
SUMMARIES FILED BY AN INDIVIDUAL FILER AT A SINGLE DISTRICT.
TO EXPEDITE REFUNDS, CUSTOMS RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING BE
INCLUDED IN EACH LETTER:
I) REQUEST FOR A REFUND AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 601 OF
THE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENTS ACT;
II) ENTRY NUMBERS AND LINE ITEMS FOR WHICH REFUNDS ARE TO
BE ISSUED;
III) AMOUNT TO BE REFUNDED FOR EACH LINE ITEM AND TOTAL
AMOUNT OWED FOR ALL ENTRY SUMMARIES.
7. DISTRICT CUSTOMS PERSONNEL SHALL LIQUIDATE THE ENTRY
SUMMARIES DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH 6 WITH A REFUND, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING PROCEDURES AND UNSETTING SCHEDULED
LIQUIDATIONS AS NECESSARY. STATISTICAL CORRECTIONS SHALL BE
MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING GUIDELINES.
8. INTEREST SHALL BE PAID ON ALL REFUNDS FROM THE DATE THE
DUTIES WERE DEPOSITED.
QUESTIONS FROM FILERS REGARDING ABI TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE
DIRECTED TO THEIR ABI CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES. PERSONS WITH OTHER
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE MAY CONTACT LISA CROSBY, TRADE
AGREEMENTS BRANCH, AT (202) 927-0163.
PHILIP METGZER