US Customs Targets Ribbons/Trimmings

Ribbon and trimmings from all countries will be subject to greater scrutiny upon import into the US as the result of a new US Customs Service review program. The New York Strategic Centre (STC) began an "intervention" specifically targeting the non-compliance of imports for he ribbon and trimmings industry.

Foreign suppliers will be involved in this review as US Customs expects US importers to inform their suppliers of the compliance concerns. Manufacturers and exporters of ribbon and trimmings classified under the following thirteen subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the US (HTSUS): 5404, 5405, 5604, 5605, 5607, 5609, 5806, 5808, 5907, 6001, 6002 and 6307, will be affected.

To initiate this focus program, US Customs sent letters to high volume importers and importers with a history of problems when importing ribbons and trimmings in mid-February. These letters set forth US Customs? concerns with improper classification upon entry into the US and with inadequate descriptions on the invoice. The letter states that on or about 17 June, US Customs will begin compliance review of ribbon and trimmings imports. This 120-day grace period is designed to allow importers, brokers and foreign manufacturers sufficient time to properly classify their goods and to modify invoice descriptions as necessary.

If problems are found during the reviews, the importers are likely to be referred to US Customs for further action. Such action could include increased entry reviews, cargo examinations, penalties or other remedial actions.

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