[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39660-39661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14173]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Additional Tariff-Rate Quota Volume for Refined Sugar From Canada
Under the USMCA
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The calendar year 2020 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate
quota (TRQ) for imported refined sugar from Canada is increasing
pursuant to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA or
Agreement) and the April 3, 2020 announcement by the U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture (Secretary) to permit, at in-quota tariff rates, imports of
refined sugar, other than specialty sugar, above the quantities made
available at those rates pursuant to U.S. commitments under the World
Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement and other trade agreements.
DATES: The changes made by this notice are applicable as of July 1,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Nicholson, Office of Agricultural
Affairs, at [email protected] or at (202) 395-9419.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 12, 2017 (82 FR 23699), the
President announced his intention to commence negotiations with Canada
and Mexico to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA). On November 30, 2018, the Governments of the United States,
Mexico, and Canada (the Parties) signed the protocol replacing NAFTA
with the USMCA. On December 10, 2019, the Parties signed the protocol
of amendment to the USMCA. On January 29, 2020, the President signed
into law the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act
(Pub. L. 116-113) (Implementation Act), through which Congress approved
the USMCA. On July
[[Page 39661]]
1, 2020, the USMCA will enter into force.
The Schedule of the United States to Annex 2-B of the Agreement
establishes a TRQ for imports of refined sugar from Canada, set forth
in paragraph 14 of Appendix 2. Paragraph 14(c) provides for an increase
in the in-quota quantity of the TRQ for refined sugar in any year in
which the Secretary makes a determination to permit the importation
into the United States at in-quota tariff rates of additional
quantities of refined sugar, other than specialty sugar, above the
quantities made available at those rates pursuant to its commitments
under the WTO Agreement and other trade agreements. According to
paragraph 14(c), this increase for the refined sugar TRQ for Canada is
equal to 20 percent of the additional quantities determined by the
Secretary.
Pursuant to Note 9 to Subchapter XXIII of Chapter 98 of the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), the Office of
the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) publishes a determination in the
Federal Register of this additional quantity for any such year.
On April 3, 2020 (85 FR 18913), the Secretary announced an
additional in-quota quantity of the TRQ for refined sugar for the
remainder of fiscal year 2020 (ending September 30, 2020) in the amount
of 181,437 metric tons raw value (MTRV). This quantity is in addition
to the minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the
WTO Uruguay Round Agreements and other trade agreements.
USTR is providing notice that the in-quota quantity of the USMCA
TRQ for imported refined sugar from Canada for calendar year 2020 is
increased by 36,287 MTRV, which may be supplied on a first-come, first-
served basis. Refined sugar imported from Canada pursuant to this
notice may be made from non-originating raw sugar. Only refined sugar
with a sucrose content, by weight in the dry state, corresponding to a
reading of 99.5 degrees polarity or more will be permitted. No
certificate for quota eligibility is required for sugar entering under
this additional in-quota quantity.
Daniel Watson,
Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere,
Office of the United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2020-14173 Filed 6-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F0-P