CBP Reports 73 Percent Increase in Duties Collected in FY19 Over Prior Year
CBP collected $71.9 billion in customs duties during fiscal year 2019, a 73 percent increase over the previous fiscal year, the agency said in a news release about its latest annual report on the agency's travel and trade statistics. “This is a staggering increase in duty collections, linked directly to the Administration’s trade remedy measures under Sections 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.” CBP said in the report. “Whereas remedies were only in place for part of fiscal year 2018, they were in place for the entire fiscal year in 2019.”
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There were more customs ruling requests in FY19, too, CBP said. “With the increase of additional duties, it has become more important for the importing community to properly classify and identify the value of goods entering the U.S. as well as provide the correct country of origin,” it said. “As a result, CBP has seen an uptick in requests for binding rulings. During FY2019, CBP’s National Commodity Specialist Division issued 21 percent more rulings than in FY2018, and decisions on entry-process-related cases increased by 22 percent.” In total, $80.7 billion in duties, taxes and fees were collected in FY19. CBP also said it recovered more than $121 million in antidumping or countervailing duties owed during FY19, an 86 percent annual increase, it said.