United States International Trade Commision Rulings And Harmonized Tariff Schedule
faqs.org  Rulings By Number  Rulings By Category  Tariff Numbers
faqs.org > Rulings and Tariffs Home > Rulings By Number > 2007 NY Rulings > NY N019971 - NY N020112 > NY N020073

Previous Ruling Next Ruling
NY N020073




December 19, 2007

CLA-2-39:OT:RR:NC:N2:222

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 3924.10.4000

Mr. Steve Homokay
Livingston International Trade Services, Inc. 670 Young Street
Tonawanda, NY 14150

RE: The tariff classification of plastic components for a wine making kit from China

Dear Mr. Homokay:

In your letter dated November 15, 2007, on behalf of Vineco International Products, you requested a tariff classification ruling.

The submitted samples are identified as a plastic vessel, a plastic funnel, a plastic slotted spoon, a plastic bag opener and a plastic air lock. All of these components will be imported together and then repackaged with grape juice and other ingredients to be sold as a wine making kit. As you requested, the samples will be returned to you.

The applicable subheading for the plastic vessel, the plastic funnel, the plastic slotted spoon, the plastic bag opener and the plastic air lock will be 3924.10.4000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for tableware, kitchenwareof plastics: tableware and kitchenware: other. The rate of duty will be 3.4 percent ad valorem.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.

You have also requested a marking ruling. You have stated that you “plan to have each individual product marked made in China” and you also plan to have the outer container in which these plastic components are imported marked with the words “vessel, funnel and slotted spoon made in China.” The submitted samples were not marked with the country of origin.

The marking statute, section 304, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1304), provides that, unless excepted, every article of foreign origin (or its container) imported into the U.S. shall be marked in a conspicuous place as legibly, indelibly and permanently as the nature of the article (or its container) will permit, in such a manner as to indicate to the ultimate purchaser in the U.S. the English name of the country of origin of the article.

Part 134, Customs Regulations (19 CFR Part 134), implements the country of origin marking requirements and exceptions of 19 U.S.C. 1304. Section 134.41(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 134.41(b)), mandates that the ultimate purchaser in the U.S. must be able to find the marking easily and read it without strain. Section 134.1(d), defines the ultimate purchaser as generally the last person in the U.S. who will receive the article in the form in which it was imported. If an imported article is to be sold at retail in its imported form, the purchaser at retail is the ultimate purchaser. In this case, the ultimate purchaser of the plastic components for the wine making kit is the consumer who purchases these components when repackaged with the additional components and sold at retail.

An article is excepted from marking under 19 U.S.C. 1304 (a)(3)(D) and section 134.32(d), Customs regulations (19 CFR 134.32(d)), if the marking of a container of such article will reasonably indicate the origin of such article. However, since the plastic components at issue here are not imported in their marked retail container, whether the subject articles are excepted from individual marking under 19 CFR 134.32(d) is for the port director to decide. In this regard section 134.34, Customs Regulations (19 CFR 134.34), provides that an exception may be authorized at the discretion of the port director under 19 CFR 134.32(d) for imported articles which are to be repacked after release from Customs custody under the following conditions: (1) The containers in which the articles are repacked will indicate the origin of the articles to an ultimate purchaser in the U.S.; (2) The importer arranges for supervision of the marking of the containers by Customs officers at the importer's expense or secures such verification, as may be necessary, by certification and the submission of a sample or otherwise, of the marking prior to the liquidation of the entry.

In this case, assuming that the port director is satisfied that the imported plastic components for the wine making kit will be repacked in the manner described above, and that the other conditions set forth in 19 CFR 134.34 are met, the port director may authorize an exception under 19 CFR 134.32(d), in which case marking of the imported plastic vessel, plastic funnel, plastic slotted spoon, plastic bag opener and plastic air lock will not be required.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Gary Kalus at 646-733-3055.

Sincerely,

Robert B. Swierupski
Director,

Previous Ruling Next Ruling

See also: