QB 18-127 Absolute Quota for Aluminum Products: Argentina

On May 31, 2018, the President issued a Presidential Proclamation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 providing for an absolute quota for imports of steel mill articles from Argentina, Brazil and South Korea, effective for goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 1, 2018.

Subheadings 9903.85.05 through 9903.85.06, inclusive, set forth the ordinary customs duty treatment for the steel mill articles of any country enumerated in the superior text to such subheadings, subject to the annual aggregate quantitative limitations proclaimed for these subheadings.  Beginning on July 1, 2018, imports from any such country in an aggregate quantity under any such subheading during any of the periods January through March, April through June, July through September, or October through December in any year that is in excess of 500,000 kg and 30 percent of the total aggregate quantity provided for a calendar year for such country, as set forth on CBP.gov shall not be allowed.

This Quota Bulletin provides information on quarterly absolute quota quantities for Argentina, Brazil and South Korea imports as of July 1, 2018.  Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will provide quarterly quota quantities beginning July 1, 2018 and at the end of each subsequent quarter for convenience of importers of steel mill articles under absolute quota.

Please check the quota page of cbp.gov, quota page for weekly commodity status reports at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/quota/tariff-rate-quotas for information on remaining absolute quota amounts.

Commodity

 Aluminum Products as specified in Presidential Proclamation

Quota Period

 July 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018

Reporting Instructions

For quota merchandise, use entry type code 02, 06, 07, 12, 23, 32, 38, or 52

Merchandise subject to absolute quota may also be subject to antidumping and countervailing duty.

In addition to reporting the chapter 76 harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) classification for imported merchandise, importers shall report the following HTS classifications for imported merchandise subject to the absolute quota:  9903.85.05 through 9903.85.06

Absolute quota merchandise may not be imported into the U.S for consumption after the quota limit is reached, per [19 CFR 132]. Options after the quota limit is reached include foreign trade zone, warehouse entry, exportation or destruction.

Countries Covered

Argentina

Special Instructions

As of June 1, 2018, CBP is implementing absolute quota processing functionality in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).  Absolute quota will be processed on a daily basis, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) at 8:00 pm EST, and cargo release of shipments subject to the absolute quota will be withheld until the absolute quota is processed and quota amounts are allocated. 

In order for shipments to be processed for absolute quota on the same day at 8:00 pm EST, the entry summary must be filed, entry summary payment date must be on file or scheduled for a future statement, and the conveyance arrived by 4:30 pm in the port’s local time zone.  The official hours for quota processing are established by 19 CFR 132.3.

Please note quantities listed in the attachment  below are estimates as of June 28, 2018; actual amounts will be posted on the July 2, 2018 in quota commodity status report on cbp.gov. These amounts are provided for convenience and will vary.

For the purposes of administering the quantitative limitations applicable to subheadings 9903.85.05 and 9903.85.06, the following annual aggregate limits shall apply for the period starting with calendar year 2018 and for subsequent years, unless modified or terminated:

Quota Bulletins (QB) are posted on CBP.gov, quota page and updated as determined by future announcements.  The trade may track the status of quotas provided in the weekly Commodity Status Report at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/quota/tariff-rate-quotas

Questions from the importing community regarding this electronic message should be referred to the appropriate CBP Port of Entry or Center for Excellence and Expertise.  The Port/Center may refer questions to headquarters Quota and Agriculture Branch at (202) 863-6560, or through email to HQQUOTA@cbp.dhs.gov.