No Pre-Compliance, No Refund For You!
CBP issued a message to trade, and guidance document titled “Post Importation Claims for Preferential Tariff Treatment.”
The purpose of this message is to provide guidance to the trade community concerning acceptable methods for submission of post-importation preference claims, in light of certain judicial decisions. This message is consistent with a memorandum from the Office of International Trade to field offices sent on August 11, 2014.
BACKGROUND
Historically, importers have used various post-importation mechanisms to claim duty preferences under various free trade agreements, trade preference legislation, and certain tariff provisions in Chapter 98, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. These mechanisms include Post-Entry Amendments (PEAs), Post Summary Corrections (PSCs), protests in 19 USC 1514 and post-importation claims in 19 USC 1520(d).
Several court decisions1 have held that the protest mechanism set forth in 19 USC 1514 may not be used to make a preference claim, inasmuch as the liquidation of an entry “as entered” (without a claim) is not a “protestable decision”. Headquarters Ruling Letter H193959, dated July 30, 2012, also discussed the court cases’ holding limiting use of protests for preference claims.
However, the implementing legislation for several preference programs specifically provides for post-importation claims, set forth in 19 USC 1520(d), and such claims are the only appropriate mechanism to seek preference when not claimed at the time of entry. This legislation allows post-importation claims for a one-year period after the date of importation.
Customs and Border Protection has completed a review concerning which methods are available to make claims after entry for […]