USTR undertaking 2019 GSP review

   The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will collect comments through April 19 for its annual Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) product and country review, USTR announced Monday.
   The agency will consider petitions to modify the preferential treatment status of GSP beneficiary developing countries, add products to GSP eligibility, remove products from GSP eligibility, waive competitive need limitations (CNLs), deny de minimis waivers for eligible products and redesignate currently excluded products, USTR said.
   CNLs are import ceilings built into GSP to limit duty-free access to the U.S. to products and countries that might not otherwise be competitive.
   “De minimis waivers” are granted in relation to CNLs when the total value of imports of a specified good from all countries is below a certain ceiling. The de minimis level is adjusted in increments of $500,000 each year. The GSP de minimis level was $24 million for 2018 and is $24.5 million for 2019.
   The annual review will include separate hearings on product petitions and country eligibility reviews, which USTR will announce in the Federal Register at a later date, the agency said.
   USTR also has posted 2018 import statistics related to CNLs, de minimis waivers and product redesignations.