On May 12, 2021, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) announced that it had issued a report recommending that the President make certain modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to conform it with World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments to the global Harmonized System. The USITC’s report, Recommended Modifications in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2021, Inv. No. 1205-13, USITC Publication 5171, March 2021, is available on the USITC web site. The announcement said:
The recommended HTS amendments relate to a wide range of products and product groups, including, for example: flat panel display modules; 3D printers; unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones); electric vehicles; tobacco products intended for inhalation without combustion; edible insect products; virgin and extra virgin olive oil; cell therapy products; rapid diagnostic test kits for detecting the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases; placebos and double-blinded clinical trial kits; electronic waste (e-waste) and other hazardous waste; amusement park equipment; and cultural articles (i.e., antiquities).
The USITC’s actions are the latest step in a process that began when WCO officials approved changes to the Harmonized System nomenclature in June 2019. Countries around the world must incorporate the changes into their national nomenclature systems. The USITC maintains and updates the HTS, which is the United States’ product category system.
Following expiration of a 60-day layover period before the Congress, the President is authorized to proclaim the modifications to the HTS. The amendments enter into force on January 1, 2022.
