QB 18-137 Absolute Quota for Steel Mill Articles: Argentina, Brazil and South Korea

On May 31, 2018, the President issued a 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imports of steel mill articles from Argentina, Brazil and South Korea, effective for goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 1, 2018.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 9903.80.05 through 9903.80.58, 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 the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website, shall not be allowed.

If 500,000 kg and 30 percent of the total aggregate quantity provided for a calendar year is not available in the remaining annual quota amount, then the remaining annual quota amount is still in effect.

This Quota Bulletin provides information on estimated quarterly absolute quota quantities for Argentina, Brazil and South Korea steel imports as of October 1, 2018.  CBP will provide quarterly quota quantities 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 at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/quota/tariff-rate-quotas for weekly commodity status reports containing information on actual absolute quota amounts, updated every Monday.

COMMODITY:

Steel Mill Articles as specified in Presidential Proclamation

QUOTA PERIOD:

October 1, 2018 through December 31, 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 72 or 73 harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) classification for imported merchandise, importers shall report the following HTS classifications for imported merchandise subject to the absolute quota:

9903.80.05 through 9903.80.58

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, Brazil and South Korea

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Please note quantities listed in the attachment are estimates as of September 26, 2018; actual amounts will not be available until the beginning of the next quarter on October 1, 2018, and will be posted on the October 1, 2018 quota commodity status report on CBP.gov, quota page. These estimated amounts are provided for convenience and amounts will vary.

Quota Bulletins (QBs) 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/Center.