Proposed U.S. China 301 Tariffs May Affect the Flock Industry

The U.S. recently announced proposed additional import tariffs, at the rate of 10%, on thousands of classifications of goods of Chinese origin, including inputs to the U.S. flock industry and imported flock and flocked articles.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is accepting public comments on the proposal. Specifically USTR wants to hear from you regarding the specific tariff subheadings to be subject to increased duties whether:

• they should be removed from the list;
• they should stay on the list at 10%; or
• they should stay on the list but at a lower or higher rate.

Comments are due by August 17th and must address specific 8-digit tariff subheadings. Agathon Associates can assist U.S. companies in drafting and filing comments. Due to the complexity of matching the specific tariff subheadings with the products of interest to individual companies submitting comments I strongly urge interested companies to begin the process as soon as possible.

The list includes the following classifications of interest to the flock industry:

• 4811.90.20 Paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding and webs of cellulose fibers: In strips or rolls of a width exceeding 15 cm or in rectangular (including square) sheets with one side exceeding 36 cm and the other side exceeding 15 cm in the unfolded state: Wholly or partly covered with flock, gelatin, metal or metal solutions.
• 5501.10.00 Synthetic filament tow of nylon or other polyamides.
• 5501.20.00 Synthetic filament tow of polyesters.
• 5501.30.00 Synthetic filament tow of acrylic or modacrylic.
• 5501.40.00 Synthetic filament tow, of polypropylene.
• 5501.90.01 Synthetic filament tow, other.
• 5502.10.00 Artificial filament tow of cellulose acetate.
• 5502.90.00 Artificial filament tow, other than of cellulose acetate (such as rayon).
• 5601.30.00 Textile flock.
• 5907.00.60 Fabric of man-made fibers, impregnated, coated or covered (including covered with flock).
• 5907.00.80 Fabric, other than of man-made fibers, impregnated, coated or covered (including covered with flock).