CSMS Message: 96-000254

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM : JOHN ZZ-PIERCE

SUBJECT : SOFTWOOD LUMBER:CANADA

DATE : 04/11/96

APRIL 10, 1996
6101011

FO:TC:C:S DK

TO : ALL PORT DIRECTORS AND BROKERS

FROM : DIRECTOR
TRADE COMPLIANCE

SUBJECT: COLLECTION OF CANADIAN PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE
INFORMATION ON CUSTOMS ENTRY RECORDS FOR SOFTWOOD LUMBER

PASS TO: ALL IMPORT SPECIALISTS, NATIONAL AND FIELD IMPORT
SPECIALISTS, INSPECTORS, ENTRY PERSONNEL, OTHER
CONCERNED CUSTOMS EMPLOYEES, BROKERS AND IMPORTERS

THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS (CENSUS) HAS DIRECTED THE CUSTOMS
SERVICE TO BEGIN IMMEDIATE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION ON THE
PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE ON IMPORTS OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER FROM
CANADA. THIS ACTION IS TAKEN TO ASSIST IN CARRYING OUT AN
AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA CONCERNING
TRADE IN SOFTWOOD LUMBER.

___________
BACKGROUND:

THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA ARE NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT
CONCERNING CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN CERTAIN SOFTWOOD LUMBER
PRODUCTS. THE AGREEMENT WILL INCLUDE COMMITMENTS BY CANADA THAT
ARE LINKED TO THE AMOUNT OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER EXPORTED ANNUALLY TO
THE UNITED STATES FROM PARTICULAR PROVINCES. TO CARRY OUT THE
AGREEMENT, IT IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE ACCURATELY THE AMOUNT OF
SOFTWOOD LUMBER ENTERING THE UNITED STATES ON A PROVINCE-BY-
PROVINCE BASIS. SEE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 61, NO. 69, TUESDAY,
APRIL 9, 1996, P. 15697.

_______
ACTION:

FOR MERCHANDISE ENTERED OR RELEASED UNDER A SPECIAL PERMIT FOR
IMMEDIATE DELIVERY ON AND AFTER APRIL 9, 1996, FILERS WILL BE
REQUIRED TO REPORT THE TWO-LETTER DESIGNATION OF THE CANADIAN
PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE ON ENTRY SUMMARY RECORDS IN THE COUNTRY
OF ORIGIN FIELD.

THE PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE IS TO BE DETERMINED ON A FIRST MILL
BASIS (I.E., THE POINT AT WHICH THE ITEM WAS FIRST MANUFACTURED
INTO A COVERED LUMBER PRODUCT (DESCRIBED BELOW)). FURTHER
PROCESSING (E.G., PLANING OR KILN DRYING) AND/OR TRANSFORMATION
FROM ONE COVERED LUMBER PRODUCT INTO ANOTHER COVERED PRODUCT
(E.G., REMANUFACTURED PRODUCTS) IN ANOTHER PROVINCE DOES NOT
CONSTITUTE A CHANGE IN THE PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE. FOR PURPOSES
OF THIS NOTICE, PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE IS THE PROVINCE WHERE THE
SUBJECT MERCHANDISE UNDERWENT A CHANGE IN TARIFF CLASSIFICATION
TO TARIFF ITEMS 4407.1000, 4409.1010, 4409.1090, OR 4409.1020
FROM ANY OTHER TARIFF ITEMS EXCEPT A TARIFF ITEM WITHIN THAT
GROUP.

THE REPORTING OF PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE WILL APPLY TO NON-ABI AS
WELL AS TO ABI ENTRY SUMMARIES. FOR THOSE REPORTING ON PAPER
FORMS, THE PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE CODE WILL REPLACE THE COUNTRY
OF ORIGIN ON THE CF-7501 ENTRY SUMMARY. THIS REQUIREMENT WILL
APPLY ONLY FOR IMPORTS OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER WITH THE COUNTRY OF
ORIGIN CANADA.

ALL ELECTRONIC ABI ENTRY SUMMARIES WILL REQUIRE THE CANADIAN
PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE CODE IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FIELD. THE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN IS TRANSMITTED FOR EACH ENTRY SUMMARY LINE ITEM
IN THE A40 RECORD POSITIONS 6-7. FOR IMPORTS OF SOFTWOOD LUMBER
FROM CANADA, THE PROVINCE OF MANUFACTURE CODE SHOULD REPLACE THE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN IN POSITIONS 6-7 OF THE A40 RECORD.

____________________________________________
VALID CANADIAN PROVINCE/TERRITORY CODES ARE:

XA - ALBERTA XP - PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
XB - NEW BRUNSW XQ - QUEBEC
XC - BRITISH COLUMBIA XS - SASKATCHEWAN
XM - MANITOBA XT - NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
XN - NOVA SCOTIA XW - NEWFOUNDLAND
XO - ONTARIO XY - YUKON TERRITORY

FOR ENTRIES TO BE EXEMPT FROM PAYMENT OF THE MERCHANDISE
PROCESSING FEE UNDER NAFTA CANADIAN RULES OF ORIGIN, "CA" MUST
STILL BE ENTERED IN THE SPI FIELD.

THE PRODUCTS COVERED BY THIS NOTICE ARE CERTAIN SOFTWOOD LUMBER
PRODUCTS. THESE LUMBER PRODUCTS INCLUDE: (1) CONIFEROUS WOOD,
SAWN OR CHIPPED LENGTHWISE, SLICED OR PEELED, WHETHER OR NOT
PLANED, SANDED, OR FINGER-JOINTED, OF A THICKNESS EXCEEDING SIX
MILLIMETERS; (2) CONIFEROUS WOOD SIDING (INCLUDING STRIPS AND
FRIEZES FOR PARQUET FLOORING, NOT ASSEMBLED) CONTINUOUSLY SHAPED
(TONGUED, GROOVED, RABBITTED, CHAMFERED, V-JOINTED, BEADED,
MOLDED, ROUNDED OR THE LIKE) ALONG ANY OF ITS EDGES OR FACES,
WHETHER OR NOT PLANED, SANDED OR FINGER-JOINTED; (3) OTHER
CONIFEROUS WOOD (INCLUDING STRIPS AND FRIEZES FOR PARQUET
FLOORING, NOT ASSEMBLED) CONTINUOUSLY SHAPED (TONGUED, GROOVED,
RABBITTED, CHAMFERED, V-JOINTED, BEADED, MOLDED, ROUNDED OR THE
LIKE) ALONG ANY OF ITS EDGES OR FACES, WHETHER OR NOT PLANED,
SANDED, OR FINGER-JOINTED, AND (4) CONIFEROUS WOOD FLOORING
(INCLUDING STRIPS AND FRIEZES FOR PARQUET FLOORING, NOT
ASSEMBLED) CONTINUOUSLY SHAPED (TONGUED, GROOVED, RABBITTED,
CHAMFERED, V-JOINTED, BEADED, MOLDED, ROUNDED OR THE LIKE) ALONG
ANY OF ITS EDGES OR FACES, WHETHER OR NOT PLANED, SANDED, OR
FINGER-JOINTED. SUCH PRODUCTS ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDED FOR UNDER
SUBHEADINGS 4407.1000, 4409.1010, 4409.1090, AND 4409.1020,
RESPECTIVELY, OF THE HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED
STATES (HTSUS).

____________________
FURTHER INFORMATION:

FOR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON ABI ISSUES, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ABI
CLIENT REPRESENTATIVE. FOR OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS, CONTACT CARGO
CONTROL AND ENTRY AT (202) 927-0380.

PHILIP METZGER