Wyden, Thune Aim to Raise Duty-Free De Minimis Level With New Legislation
Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and John Thune, R-S.D., introduced a bill on Feb. 12 to raise the duty-free de minimis level for U.S. imports from $200 to $800. The de minimis level is the threshold that goods are able to enter the U.S. duty-free. Both lawmakers tried but failed to advance the Low Value Shipment Regulatory Modernization Act in the last Congress (see 13030805).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
The measure would be a particular boon to small businesses and the digital trade world, said both lawmakers in statements. “Current import policies on low-value shipments are outdated and need to be modernized for the benefit of American consumers and for small businesses, which increasingly use the Internet to access global markets,” said Thune. “Goods shipped to American consumers should be treated the same way as goods carried on a plane to the United States by American travelers.” In recent years, Congress raised the de minimis to $800 for most circumstances where U.S. travelers are returning from abroad.
The increase would take effect at the outset of 2016. The bill also calls on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to try to raise de minimis levels in trade negotiations. Many lawmakers on Capitol Hill support that goal, as do industry representatives (see 13103107).
Finance Committee leadership incorporated a version of the legislation into the Customs Reauthorization legislation that surfaced in the last Congress (see 13052223). Lawmakers also included the de minimis increase in a 2009 Customs Reauthorization bill (see 09102305). Neither measure advanced into law.
Thune is still aiming to tack this legislation onto Customs Reauthorization this Congress, a spokeswoman for his office said. Wyden's office didn't comment. Many stakeholders are pushing for lawmakers to pass Customs Reauthorization this Congress alongside Trade Promotion Authority. Although the terms of a trade package remain largely unclear, a TPA bill is expected to surface in the coming weeks (see 1501270001).
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the bill text.