The January – August 2007 Import Statistics Relating to Competitive Need Limitations (CNLs) are organized to show, for each article, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading, the Beneficiary Developing Country (BDC) of origin, the value of imports of the article for the first eight months of 2007, and the percentage of imports from that BDC to total imports of that article from all countries. The list includes: 1) GSP-eligible articles from BDCs that have already exceeded the CNLs (when their import levels have exceeded $130 million or are more than 50 percent of the total value of U.S. imports of that product); and 2) GSP-eligible articles that, based upon January – August 2007 import data, exceed $100 million in trade or are more than 42 percent of the total value of U.S. imports of that product. Depending on full calendar-year 2007 import data, these articles may lose GSP duty-free treatment on July 1, 2008, unless a waiver to the applicable CNL is granted. As previously announced in the Federal Register (72 Fed. Reg. 28527 (May 21, 2007)), the deadline for submission of a petition to waive a CNL for an individual beneficiary developing country with respect to a GSP-eligible article is 5 p.m., Friday, November 16, 2006. Petitions must conform to the requirements as set forth in the May 21, 2007, Federal Register notice. The “D” flag next to certain articles on the list indicates articles that, based on eight-month 2007 trade data, may be eligible for a de minimis waiver because the total value of imports of that article from all countries is currently below $12.5 million. The de minimis import level for full-year 2007 is $18.5 million. Public comments regarding possible de minimis waivers will be requested in a subsequent Federal Register notice in February 2008. The list published on the USTR website is provided for informational purposes only. The list is computer-generated and is based on January – August 2007 data. It may not include all articles that may be affected by the GSP CNLs. Regardless of whether or not an article is included on the list, all determinations and decisions regarding the CNLs of the GSP program will depend on full, calendar-year 2007 import data with respect to each GSP-eligible article. Each interested party is advised to conduct its own review of 2007 import data with regard to the possible application of GSP CNLs and submission of a petition to waive the CNLs.  Click here for the list
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