RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SECRET/HS96/9
16 January 1996
ORGANIZATION
Original: English
1996 CHANGES IN THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM
Submission of documentation
Schedule XX - UNITED STATES
The following documentation related to the United States Sc hedule XX into the 1996 Harmonized
System has been received from the US Permanent Mission on 22 D ecember 1995.
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Document 1 Provisions in Schedule XX of the United States ann exed to the Marrakesh Protocol,
including the technical corrections contained in G/MA/TAR /RS/4, affected by the1996
amendments to the Harmonized System. The documentation is p rovided in Loose-Leaf
Format.
Document 2 Concordance between the Marrakesh Protocol Sche dule XX, modifications to the
Marrakesh Schedule XX as documented in G/MA/TAR/RS/4 (colu mn entitled
"1995 HTSUS"), and the proposed 1996 Schedule XX in Loose-Le af Format (column
entitled "1996 Loose-Leaf").
Document 3 Concordance between the proposed 1996 Schedule X X in Loose-Leaf Format (column
entitled "1996 Loose-Leaf"), modifications to the Schedul e XX as documented in
G/MA/TAR/RS/4 (column entitled "1995 HTSUS"), and the Marr akesh Protocol
Schedule XX.
Document 4 Table of Uruguay Round staged rates of duty for ite ms affected by the 1996 amendments
to the Harmonized System.
In making the transposition to the 1996 Harmonized System, t he United States has sought to
avoid any change in rates of duty for products in which there a re known US imports or a realistic
possibility or potential for US imports. Consequently, in e very case when an amendment to the
Harmonized System causes a reclassification of such produc ts that would result in a change in tariff
rate treatment, the United States has created new tariff lin es necessary to continue the existing tariff
treatment.
Every correlation between the 1992 version and the 1996 vers ion of the Harmonized System
that is shown in World Customs Organization Document 39.248 , dated 10 January 1995, is reflected
in the concordances between the Marrakesh Schedule XX (as mo dified by the technical corrections
contained in G/MA/TAR/RS/4) and the proposed 1996 Schedule XX in Loose-Leaf Format (Documents 2
and 3), except in a few instances where US Customs classifica tion practice differs from the classification
indicated in WCO Document 39.248. Such instances are noted i n Documents 2 and 3.G/SECRET/HS96/9
Page 2
It is the view of the United States that many of the correlatio ns shown in WCO Document 39.248
are purely theoretical and do not reflect actual trade. In Do cument 3, when a rate difference is indicated
in the correlation between the present and future tariff cla ssifications, US imports of products involved
in the correlation are either nil or negligible.
In addition to the products affected by the 1996 amendments t o the Harmonized System,
Documents 1 through 4 include information on a limited numbe r of proposed modifications in
Schedule XX that are being made to conform US Customs practic e to decisions of the Harmonized
System Committee that did not affect the international HS no menclature. These modifications involve
the following new 1996 tariff lines:
1704.90.25 6115.12.10 6115.92.30
1704.90.35 6115.12.20 6115.92.60
2707.60.10 6115.19.20 6115.92.90
2702.60.20 6115.19.40 6115.93.30
6115.19.80 6115.93.60
6115.93.90
The documents also contain information on a few purely techn ical rectifications in Schedule XX
that have come to light after the United States submitted its list of rectifications to the Marrakesh
Schedule XX (G/MA/TAR/RS/4).
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If no objection is notified to the Secretariat within 90 days from the date of this document,
the changes to Schedule XX - United States will be deemed to be approved and will be formally certified.
Copies of the documentation (in English only) are available for collection in the Market Access
Division (office No. 3142, Mrs. Hudry).