Reminder or News to You?

Maybe you have forgotten or perhaps you didn’t know, on November 20, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs, CBP) published Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) message #08-000315 announcing that a new tool is available for referencing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) online. The tool is published and maintained by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

In today’s volatile international trade market, you can never have enough tools in your tool box!

One of the key features of the HTS reference tool is the ability for users “to jump from an item to the related chapter 99 item showing temporary and seasonal rates when needed.” Hyperlinks on certain tariff numbers also allow users to immediately access the Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) for help in locating any rulings related to the selected tariff number.

The tool also allows searches, including by CAS numbers and has a thesaurus feature which allows searches by modern terms for products. Other buttons on the interface allow ready access to chapter notes, and a print-friendly version of the HTS.

The HTS Online Reference Tool can be accessed online here.

Please contact your local South East World Wide, Ltd. Sales Representative to learn more about this article and/or to discuss any other ongoing challenge you may be facing in managing your inbound freight.