World Trade Organization members on Sept. 17 discussed various proposals on the e-commerce work program at the program's first meeting since the 13th Ministerial Conference, the WTO said. Proposals from the least-developed countries (LDC) group, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries group and Cambodia were discussed.
Customs Duty
A Customs Duty is a tariff or tax which a country imposes on goods when they are transported across international borders. Customs Duties are used to protect countries' economies, residents, jobs, and environments, by limiting the flow of imported merchandise, especially restricted and prohibited goods, into the country. The Customs Duty Rate is a percentage determined by the value of the article purchased in the foreign country and not based on quality, size, or weight.
Importer New York Mutual Trading dismissed its customs case at the Court of International Trade on Sept. 16. The company brought the suit in 2022 to contest CBP's denial of its protest claiming its frozen shrimp from Vietnam of Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 1605.21.1030 had wrongly been assigned the "all others" antidumping duty rate. Counsel for the importer didn't immediately respond to a request for comment (New York Mutual Trading v. U.S., CIT # 22-00293).
Antidumping duty petitioner Daikin America on Sept. 9 opposed the Commerce Department's remand results finding it wasn't feasible for respondent Gujarat Fluorochemicals to report its movement expenses on a transaction-specific basis. Daikin said the agency wrongfully said Gujarat's grade-based allocation was as specific as it could be and didn't cause "inaccuracies and distortions" (Daikin America v. United States, CIT # 22-00122).
The U.S. and surety company Aegis Security Insurance Co. on Sept. 13 asked the Court of International Trade to use the items produced in discovery in a separate case involving both parties (U.S. v. Aegis Security Insurance Co., CIT # 22-00327).
The U.S. denied Sept. 9 that the Commerce Department was misinterpreting the statutory standard for determining the existence of sales made by an exporter at different levels of trade (Compania Valencia de Aluminio Baux, S.L.U. v. U.S., CIT # 23-00259).
Importer Plasticolor Molded Products on Sept. 10 dismissed its customs case on the classification of its automobile seat covers. CBP classified the goods under Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 8708.99.8180, dutiable at 2.5%, with Section 301 tariffs assessed under subheading 9903.88.03. Plasticolor said the goods fit under subheading 8708.99.8180, dutiable at 2.5%, but were excluded from Section 301 duties under subheading 9903.88.43. Counsel for Plasticolor declined to comment on the reason for the dismissal (Plasticolor Molded Products v. United States, CIT # 20-03822).
China officially requested dispute consultations with Canada at the World Trade Organization Sept. 11 regarding Canada's upcoming tariffs on various Chinese goods (see 2409040007), including electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products, the WTO announced. If consultations have failed to settle the matter within 60 days, China can request a dispute panel.
The following lawsuit was recently filed at the Court of International Trade:
Monishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah, who owned jewelry companies in New York City , pleaded guilty Sept. 10 to leading a scheme to "illegally evade customs duties for more than $13.5 million of jewelry imports" into the U.S., the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey announced. Shah, a resident of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Mumbai, also admitted to illicitly processing over $10.3 million through an "unlicensed money transmitting business."
The U.S. on Sept. 10 opposed importer Interglobal Forest's bid for attorney's fees after it prevailed in an antidumping and countervailing duty evasion case. The government said Interglobal can't be considered a "prevailing party" because the court's decision sustaining CBP's remand decision reversing its evasion finding didn't "materially alter the legal relationship of the parties" (Interglobal Forest v. United States, CIT # 22-00240).