USTR Lists Countries Eligible for 2020 Sugar 'Trade Surplus' TRQs
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced eligibility for “trade surplus” tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for sugar originating in certain free trade agreement countries for calendar year 2020. USTR found Colombia, Panama and six members of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) eligible for the TRQ. The agency found that Chile, Morocco and Peru do not qualify.
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Five CAFTA-DR Countries, Panama and Colombia Eligible for 2020 'Trade Surplus' TRQs
For Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (all members of CAFTA-DR), Panama and Colombia, exports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products each exceeded their imports of those goods in calendar year 2018. As a result, each of these countries has a trade surplus and is eligible to receive in calendar year 2020 the following “trade surplus” TRQ amounts to be entered duty-free under CAFTA-DR (HTS 9822.05.20), and FTAs for Panama (HTS 9822.09.17) and Colombia (HTS 9822.08.01).
Costa Rica | 14,080 metric tons |
Dominican Republic | 4,520 metric tons |
El Salvador | 36,040 metric tons |
Guatemala | 49,820 metric tons |
Honduras | 10,240 metric tons |
Nicaragua | 28,160 metric tons |
Colombia | 56,000 metric tons |
Panama | 545 metric tons |
Chile, Morocco, Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru Not Eligible for 2020 'Trade Surplus' TRQ
According to USTR, 2018 data indicates that for Chile, Morocco and Peru, imports of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products exceeded its exports of those goods, resulting in a trade deficit and ineligibility for the “trade surplus” TRQ. Therefore, subject goods from Chile are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9911.17.05 in CY 2019. Subject goods from Morocco are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9912.17.05 or at preferential tariff rates under 9912.17.10 through 9912.17.85 in CY 2019. In addition, subject goods from Peru are not eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free under HTS 9822.06.10 in CY 2019.
(Federal Register 12/06/19)