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HQ 954365

September 14, 1993

CLA-2 CO:R:C:M 954365 DWS

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 8708.99.50

District Director
U.S. Customs Service
Second and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106

RE: Protest No. 1101-93-100122; Catalytic Converter Ceramic Substrates; Explanatory Note 84.21(II)(B)(4); Chapter 84, Note 1(b); Explanatory Note (A) to Chapter 84; HQ 950892; Parentheticals; Explanatory Note 69.14; Explanatory Note (III) to Section XVII; HQ 950417; Additional U.S. Rule of Interpretation 1(c); 8421.39.00; 8421.99.00; 6914.90.00

Dear District Director:

The following is our decision regarding the request for further review of Protest No. 1101-93-100122 concerning your action in classifying and assessing duty on catalytic converter ceramic substrates under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).

FACTS:

The merchandise consists of catalytic converter ceramic substrates. The substrate is a specially designed honeycombed body made of ceramic cordierite. The production of the honeycomb begins with a combination of alumina, kalil, and talc contained within a slurry box. Water is then added to bind the components. The honeycomb is extruded and fired to produce the catalytic converter substrate. After importation into the U.S., it is then coated with a catalytic agent, bracketed in place in a metal converter housing, and inserted in a motor vehicle exhaust system. The substrate, contained within a catalytic converter, is suitable for use solely with a motor vehicle for exhaust gas purification in order to convert carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide into non- toxic substances.

The substrates were entered under subheading 8708.99.50, HTSUS, as other parts of motor vehicles. The entries were liquidated on December 4, 1992, and January 22, 1993, under subheading 6914.90.00, HTSUS, as other ceramic articles. The protest was timely filed on March 4, 1993.

The subheadings under consideration are as follows:

6914.90.00: [o]ther ceramic articles: [o]ther.

The general, column one rate of duty is 8 percent ad valorem.

8421.99.00: . . . filtering or purifying machinery and apparatus, for liquids or gases; parts thereof: [p]arts: [o]ther.

The general, column one rate of duty is 3.9 percent ad valorem.

8708.99.50: [p]arts and accessories of the motor vehicles of headings 8701 to 8705: [o]ther parts and accessories: [o]ther: [o]ther: [o]ther.

The general, column one rate of duty is 3.1 percent ad valorem.

ISSUE:

Whether the catalytic converter ceramic substrates are classifiable under subheading 6914.90.00, HTSUS, as other ceramic articles, under subheading 8421.99.00, HTSUS, as other parts of filtering apparatus for gases, or under subheading 8708.99.50, HTSUS, as other parts of motor vehicles.

LAW AND ANALYSIS:

Classification of merchandise under the HTSUS is in accordance with the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI's), taken in order. GRI 1 provides that classification is determined according to the terms of the headings and any relative section or chapter notes.

Before we determine the classification of the substrates, we note that complete catalytic converters, of which the substrates are a part, are classifiable under subheading 8421.39.00, HTSUS, which provides for: "[f]iltering or purifying machinery and apparatus for gases: [o]ther."

In understanding the language of the HTSUS, the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System Explanatory Notes may be utilized. The Explanatory Notes, although not dispositive, are to be used to determine the proper interpretation of the HTSUS. 54 Fed. Reg. 35127, 35128 (August 23, 1989). Explanatory Note 84.21(II)(B)(4) (pp. 1182 - 1183) states:

(B) Filtering or purifying machinery, etc., for gases.

These gas filters and purifiers are used to separate solid or liquid particles from gases, either to recover products of value (e.g., coal dust, metallic particles, etc., recovered from furnace flue gases), or to eliminate harmful materials (e.g., dust extraction, removal of tar, etc., from gases or smoke fumes, removal of oil from steam engine vapours).

They include:

(4) Other chemical filters and purifiers for air or other gases (including catalytic converters which change carbon monoxide in the exhaust gases of motor vehicles to carbon dioxide).

Chapter 84, note 1(b), HTSUS, states:

1. This Chapter does not cover:

(b) Appliances or machinery (for example, pumps) or parts thereof, of ceramic material.

In part, Explanatory Note (A) (p. 1137) to chapter 84, HTSUS, states that:

[s]ince machinery or appliances (for example, pumps) of ceramic material and ceramic parts of machinery or appliances of any material (Chapter 69) . . . are excluded from this Chapter, it follows that even if a machine or mechanical appliance is covered, because of its description or nature, by a heading of this Chapter it is not to be classified therein if it has the character of an article of ceramic materials . . .

This applies, for example, to articles of ceramic material . . . incorporating components of minor importance of other materials, such as stoppers, joints, taps, etc., clamping or tightening bands or collars or other fixing or supporting devices (stands, tripods, etc.).

On the other hand, the following are, as a rule, to be taken to have lost the character of ceramic articles, . . . or machinery or appliances and parts thereof, of ceramic material . . .:

(i) Combinations of ceramic . . . components with a high proportion of components of other materials (e.g., of metal); also articles consisting of a high proportion of ceramic . . . components incorporated or permanently mounted in frames, cases or the like, of other materials.

Therefore, according to Explanatory Note (A) to chapter 84, HTSUS, it is our position that the complete catalytic converters containing the ceramic substrates are not precluded from classification under heading 8421, HTSUS. After importation into the U.S., the substrates must be coated with a catalytic agent and then placed in metal housings. Consequently, the complete catalytic converter contains other materials so that it has lost the character of a ceramic article.

The ceramic substrates themselves, however, are precluded from classification under heading 8421, HTSUS. The substrates, which are of ceramic material, are a part of catalytic converters. Under chapter 84, note 1(b), therefore, they are excluded from chapter 84, HTSUS, because they have the character of ceramic articles. Consequently, it is our position that the substrates are not classifiable under subheading 8421.99.00, HTSUS.

Chapter 84, note 1(b), HTSUS, directs, through the use of a parenthetical, that parts of ceramic material are to be classifiable chapter 69, HTSUS. Specifically, the substrates are described under 6914, HTSUS, and would be classifiable under subheading 6914.90.00, HTSUS.

It is our position that parenthetical language should be strictly interpreted, unless the Explanatory Notes expand the scope of the parenthetical language, thereby mandating a liberal interpretation. See HQ 950892, dated May 13, 1992. In this instance, because there are no Explanatory Notes in chapter 84, HTSUS, which expand the parenthetical of chapter 84, note 1(b), HTSUS, the substrates are to be classifiable according to the terms of chapter 69, HTSUS.

In part, Explanatory Note 69.14 (p. 924) states that:

[t]his heading covers all ceramic articles not covered by any other headings of this Chapter or in other Chapters of the Nomenclature.

The question, then, is whether the substrates are more specifically classifiable elsewhere in the HTSUS. As was previously stated, the substrates are parts of catalytic converters solely used with motor vehicles. Therefore, it is our position that, if the terms of section XVII, HTSUS, are met, then the substrates are described under heading 8708, HTSUS. Specifically, they would be classifiable under subheading 8708.99.50, HTSUS.

In part, Explanatory Note (III) (pp. 1410 - 1411) to section XVII, HTSUS, states that:

[i]t should, however, be noted that these headings apply only to those parts or accessories which comply with all three of the following conditions:

(a) They must not be excluded by the terms note 2 to this Section (see paragraph (A) below).
and (b) They must be suitable for use solely or principally with the articles of Chapters 86 to 88 (see paragraph (B) below).
and (c) They must not be more specifically included elsewhere in the Nomenclature . . .

(A) Parts and accessories excluded by Note 2 to Section XVII.

This Note excludes the following parts and accessories, whether or not they are identifiable as for the articles of this Section:

(5) Machines and mechanical appliances, and parts thereof, of headings 84.01 to 84.79 . . .

(B) Criterion of sole or principal use.

(1) Parts and accessories classifiable both in Section XVII and in another Section.

Under Section Note 3, parts and accessories which are not suitable for use solely or principally with the articles of Chapters 86 to 88 are excluded from those Chapters. . .

First, the ceramic substrates are not parts excluded by section XVII, note 2, HTSUS, because they are not parts of headings 8401 to 8479, HTSUS. Even though they are parts of catalytic converters classifiable under heading 8421, HTSUS, the substrates themselves, based upon chapter 84, note 1(b), HTSUS, are precluded from classification under chapter 84, HTSUS.

Second, although the substrates are parts of catalytic converters, both they and the converters are parts suitable for use solely with the motor vehicles of chapter 87, HTSUS. The substrates are both parts of parts (catalytic converters) and parts of the whole (motor vehicles).

Third, we find that the substrates are not more specifically included elsewhere in the HTSUS, even though they are described under heading 6914, HTSUS. In HQ 950417, dated January 7, 1992, which dealt with the classification of ferrite substrates for thin- film magnetic recording heads, it was stated that:

[i]t is Customs position that subheading 6914.90.00, HTSUS, . . . is an unlimited general description of the merchandise that does not name and describe the goods specifically.

Additional U.S. Rule of Interpretation 1(c), HTSUS, states that:

[i]n the absence of special language or context which otherwise requires -

(c) a provision for parts of an article covers products solely or principally used as a part of such articles but a provision for "parts" or "parts and accessories" shall not prevail over a specific provision for such part or accessory.

In this instance, heading 6914, HTSUS, does not prevail over heading 8708, HTSUS, a "parts" provision, because, as stated, heading 6914, HTSUS, does not name and describe the merchandise specifically.

Therefore, under Explanatory Notes 69.14 and (III) to section XVII, HTSUS, we find that the catalytic converter ceramic substrates are classifiable under subheading 8708.99.50, HTSUS.

HOLDING:

The catalytic converter ceramic substrates are classifiable under subheading 8708.99.50, HTSUS, as other parts of motor vehicles.

The protest should be granted in full. A copy of this decision should be attached to the Customs Form 19 and provided to the protestant as part of the notice of action on the protest.

Sincerely,

John Durant, Director

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