Nov. 14 CBP Bulletin Proposes to Revoke Rulings on Wallpaper Strippers, Hard Drive Storage Cases
In the Nov. 14 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 52, No. 46), CBP published notices that propose to revoke rulings and similar treatment for wallpaper strippers and plastic hard drive storage cases.
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Comments on Proposals Due Dec. 14
CBP said consideration will be given to any written comments received by Dec.14 before taking this action. In addition, any party who has received a ruling or decision on the merchandise that is subject to the proposed revocations or modifications, or any party involved with a substantially identical transaction, should advise CBP by the date that written comments on the proposed ruling are due. (An importer's failure to advise CBP of such rulings, decisions or substantially identical transactions may raise issues of reasonable care on the part of the importer or its agents for importations subsequent to the effective date of the final decision in this notice.)
Proposals
CBP is proposing to revoke or modify the rulings below, and any rulings on these products that may exist but have not been specifically identified. CBP is also proposing to revoke any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
Wallpaper Strippers
| Item: Wallpaper strippers with electric immersion heaters contained inside a water tank that is connected by a hose to a steam plate. Water is heated in the reservoir, thereby producing steam through the steam plate. |
| Current: 8516.10.0080, 3.7%, “Other electric water heaters and immersion heaters.” |
| Proposed: 8516.79.00, 2.7%, “Other electrothermic appliances of a kind used for domestic purposes; ...: Other electrothermic appliances: Other.” |
| Reason: While the wallpaper strippers contain an immersion element that heats water to produce steam, CBP now believes that the steamers as a whole are not within the scope of subheading 8516.10 because they are not used as a water or immersion heater. While the wallpaper strippers are not clothing steamers, they have the same operating principle of applying steam to fabric, materials, and articles. As a result, the wallpaper strippers are properly classified in subheading 8516.79.00, it said. |
| Proposed for revocation: NY 898469 (1994) |
| Proposed new ruling: HQ H297833 |
Hard Drive Storage Cases
| Item: Plastic enclosures designed to protect a computer internal hard drive. |
| Current: 3924.90.5650, 3.4%, “Household articles ... of plastics: other: other ... other.” |
| Proposed: 3926.90.9990, 5.3%, "Other articles of plastics and articles of other materials of headings 3901 to 3914: Other: Other.” |
| Reason: The case is not strictly used in the household, nor is it even primarily used in the household. It is readily used in the office and is not consistent with the narrow uses contemplated by household articles of heading 3924, CBP said. Since the case is not included in heading 3924, it falls by default into heading 3926, CBP said. |
| Proposed for revocation: NY N287024 (2017) |
| Proposed new ruling: HQ H296920 |