Trade Groups Ask USTR to Remove de Minimis Footnote From USMCA
Fourteen trade groups wrote to the U.S. trade representative asking him to strip language in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that suggests the de minimis level could be lowered to be closer to the NAFTA region trading partners' levels. The letter, sent Nov. 6, was initiated by the National Foreign Trade Council, and notes that Congress unilaterally raised the de minimis level in 2016 because "reduced logistics costs improve the bottom line of American small businesses across industries who import low value components for assembly and value-added manufacturing operations." It helps firms that import samples, the letter said, and benefits "importers and logistics firms by reducing the time and cost to process millions of shipments and shaving a half-a-day or more from clearing each shipment."
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The organizations said that while they're disappointed that Mexico and Canada didn't raise their de minimis levels more, the USTR should remove the footnote to the Customs and Trade facilitation chapter (see 1810190043). The letter was signed by NFTC, the American Association of Exporters & Importers, the Coalition of Services Industries, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, the Consumer Technology Association, the Express Association of America, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Internet Association, the National Retail Federation, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, TechNet, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the United States Council for International Business and the United States Fashion Industry Association.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the letter.