CSMS Message: 96-000725

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.

FROM : CAROL ARGENTINE

SUBJECT : GSP RENEWAL

DATE : 08/29/96

OTO 5
CAROL ARGENTINE
90
6242071
AUGUST 29, 1996

CATEGORY: GSP FO:TA CA

TO : PORT AND CMC DIRECTORS, IMPORT SPECIALISTS, ENTRY
SPECIALISTS, INSPECTORS, AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES
SUCH AS BROKERS AND IMPORTERS

FROM : DIRECTOR, TRADE AGREEMENTS

SUBJECT: GSP RENEWAL

ON AUGUST 20, 1996, PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNED INTO LAW THE SMALL
BUSINESS JOB PROTECTION ACT OF 1996. SECTION 1951 OF TITLE I,
SUBTITLE J (GSP RENEWAL ACT OF 1996), PROVIDES FOR THE RENEWAL OF
THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP) THROUGH MAY 31, 1997,
AS WELL AS FOR THE REFUND OF ALL DUTIES PAID ON GSP-ELIGIBLE*
MERCHANDISE THAT WAS ENTERED WHILE THE PROGRAM WAS LAPSED.

*SEE THE SECTION ENTITLED "RETROACTIVE SUSPENSION" FOR THE
TREATMENT OF CERTAIN GOODS FROM PAKISTAN.

ACTION:

1. EFFECTIVE AUGUST 20, 1996, THE AMENDMENTS MADE BY THE
SUBTITLE APPLY TO ARTICLES ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM
WAREHOUSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 1, 1996.

2. THE DUTY RATE OF "FREE," APPLICABLE TO MERCHANDISE
QUALIFYING FOR GSP, SHALL BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 1996.
ESTIMATED DUTIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE REQUIRED TO BE
DEPOSITED FOR SHIPMENTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE
FOR CONSUMPTION THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 1996, AS HAS BEEN
REQUIRED WHILE THE PROGRAM WAS LAPSED. FILERS SHALL BE
ENTITLED TO FILE GSP ELIGIBLE ENTRY SUMMARIES WITHOUT THE
PAYMENT OF DUTY FOR SHIPMENTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM
WAREHOUSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 1, 1996.

3. CUSTOMS WILL BEGIN PROCESSING REFUNDS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1,
1996, AND EXPECTS THE PROCESSING TO TAKE FROM FOUR TO EIGHT
WEEKS FOR ABI ENTRIES.

4. THE FOLLOWING QUARTERLY IRS INTEREST RATES WILL BE USED IN
CALCULATING INTEREST ON REFUNDS OF CUSTOMS DUTIES:

JULY 1, 1995 - MARCH 31, 1996........ 8

APRIL 1, 1996 - JUNE 30, 1996......... 7

JULY 1, 1996 - DECEMBER 31, 1996..... 8

5. INTEREST SHALL BE PAID ON ALL REFUNDS FROM THE DATE THE
DUTIES WERE DEPOSITED.

6. FORMAL ENTRY REFUNDS

FILERS WHO USED THE SPECIAL PROGRAM INDICATOR (SPI) "A" ON
ENTRY SUMMARIES FILED THROUGH THE AUTOMATED BROKER INTERFACE
(ABI) NEED TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION AT THIS TIME. CUSTOMS
HEADQUARTERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BEGIN PROCESSING REFUNDS FOR
ENTRY SUMMARIES LIQUIDATED AS "NO CHANGE" ON OCTOBER 1,
1996.

GSP REFUNDS FOR ALL OTHER ENTRY SUMMARIES (E.G., WAREHOUSE
WITHDRAWALS, "CHANGE" LIQUIDATIONS, RELIQUIDATIONS,
SUSPENDED ENTRY SUMMARIES) WILL BE PROCESSED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH NORMAL LIQUIDATION PROCEDURES.

NON-ABI FILERS WHO DID OR DID NOT USE THE SPI "A" MUST
REQUEST A REFUND IN WRITING FROM THE PORT DIRECTOR AT THE
PORT OF ENTRY BY FEBRUARY 16, 1997 (180 DAYS AFTER THE DATE
OF ENACTMENT OF THIS ACT). 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
PORT. TO EXPEDITE REFUNDS, CUSTOMS RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING
BE INCLUDED IN EACH LETTER:

A. A STATEMENT THAT THE LETTER IS A REQUEST FOR A REFUND
AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 1953 (C) OF THE "GSP RENEWAL ACT
OF 1996";
B. THE ENTRY NUMBERS AND LINE ITEMS FOR WHICH REFUNDS ARE
BEING REQUESTED; AND
C. THE AMOUNT TO BE REFUNDED FOR EACH LINE ITEM AND, WHERE
MULTIPLE ENTRIES ARE INVOLVED, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OWED
FOR ALL ENTRY SUMMARIES.

7. INFORMAL ENTRY REFUNDS

REFUNDS ON INFORMAL ENTRIES FILED VIA ABI ON A CUSTOMS FORM
7501 WITH THE SPI "A" WILL BE PROCESSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN 6 ABOVE.

8. BAGGAGE DECLARATIONS AND NON-ABI INFORMAL REFUNDS

IF TRAVELERS/IMPORTERS WROTE A STATEMENT DIRECTLY ON THEIR
CUSTOMS DECLARATION (CF 6059B) OR INFORMAL ENTRY (CF 363 OR
CF 7501) INDICATING THEIR DESIRE FOR A REFUND, NO FURTHER
ACTION TO OBTAIN A REFUND WILL BE REQUIRED. IF NO SUCH
STATEMENT WAS MADE TRAVELERS/IMPORTERS MUST MAKE A TIMELY
REQUEST AS DESCRIBED ABOVE IN 6 FOR NON-ABI FILERS.

9. MAIL ENTRY REFUNDS

ADDRESSEES MAY SUBMIT A CLAIM REQUESTING A REFUND OF GSP
DUTIES ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE CF 3419A TO THE APPROPRIATE
INTERNATIONAL MAIL BRANCH (ADDRESS LISTED ON
BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER OF CF 3419A). IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT
A COPY OF THE CF 3419A BE INCLUDED AS THIS WILL BE THE ONLY
METHOD OF IDENTIFYING THE ELIGIBLE GSP PRODUCTS AND ENSURING
THAT DUTIES AND FEES HAVE BEEN PAID.

CONTACTS:

FOR GENERAL OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS:

FORMAL ENTRIES.........CAROL ARGENTINE, 202-927-0021
INFORMAL ENTRIES.......MIKE CRAIG, 202-927-0156
MAIL ENTRIES...........DAN NORMAN, 202-927-0542
PASSENGER CLAIMS.......ROBERT JACKSTA, 202-927-1311

FOR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATING TO ABI PROCESSING:

IRV FISHER, OFFICE OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY,
AT 202-927-0241.

RETROACTIVE SUSPENSION:

THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE ISSUED A
NOTICE IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 61, NO. 117, DATED MONDAY,

JUNE 17, 1996, THAT SUSPENDED CERTAIN GSP BENEFITS FOR PAKISTAN
EFFECTIVE FOR GOODS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE FOR
CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 1996. A PRESIDENTIAL
PROCLAMATION PUTTING THIS RECOMMENDATION INTO EFFECT IS EXPECTED
TO BE ISSUED ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 1, 1996. ADDITIONAL
INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE ISSUED WHEN AVAILABLE.

ACCORDINGLY, DUTIES WILL BE REFUNDED ON THE BELOW LISTED
PAKISTANI PRODUCTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE FOR
CONSUMPTION THROUGH JUNE 30, 1996, ONLY:

HTS 9018.90.80 - SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
HTS 4203.21.80 - GLOVES, MITTENS, ETC. OF LEATHER, DESIGNED
FOR SPORTS
HTS 9506.62.80 - INFLATABLE BALLS, EXCLUDING FOOTBALLS OR
SOCCER BALLS
HTS 4203.21.60 - SKI OR SNOWMOBILE GLOVES, MITTENS, ETC.
HTS 9506.91.00 - ARTICLES OR EQUIPMENT FOR EXERCISE
HTS 4203.21.20 - BATTING GLOVES
HTS 3926.20.30 - GLOVES DESIGNED FOR USE IN SPORTS, OF
PLASTIC
HTS 4203.21.55 - CROSS-COUNTRY SKI GLOVES, MITTENS, ETC.
HTS 5701.10.13 - CARPETS
HTS 5702.10.10 - CARPETS
HTS 5702.91.20 - CARPETS
HTS 5805.00.20 - CARPETS
HTS 6304.99.10 - CARPETS
HTS 6304.99.40 - CARPETS

QUESTIONS FROM FILERS REGARDING ABI TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE
DIRECTED TO THEIR ABI CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES. PERSONS WITH OTHER
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE MAY CONTACT CAROL ARGENTINE,
TRADE AGREEMENT, AT 202-927-0021.

JOYCE METZGER

Referenced By

CSMS #96-000797