ITC TO INCLUDE LATE-YEAR CHANGES IN 2002 HARMONISED TARIFF SCHEDULE

ITC TO INCLUDE LATE-YEAR CHANGES IN 2002 HARMONISED TARIFF SCHEDULE    The U.S. International Trade Commission announced that it would delay the release of the 2002 Harmonized Tariff Schedule until later in the year to accommodate two significant changes.
   On Dec. 7, President Bush signed the United States’ free trade agreement with Jordan. Under the agreement, the United States committed to eliminate customs duties on many Jordanian products and to provide staged reductions for other duties over varying periods ranging up to 10 years. The first stage of negotiated duties will be effective on Dec. 17, and the second stage will be effective on Jan. 1.
   President Bush is also expected to approve HTS amendments, which were adopted by the World Customs Organization in the nomenclature of global Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, on which the U.S. tariff schedule is based. At the international level, these amendments are to enter into force on Jan. 1.
   An electronic version of the HTS will be maintained on the ITC’s Web site at https://www.usitc.gov/taffairs.htm.