< Back to Main News Page


Uniform Rules for Country of Origin
August 21, 2008

On July 25, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (\\\"Customs\\\") issued a proposed
rule that, if enacted, would significantly change the manner for determining the country of origin of imported merchandise.

Customs has proposed to eliminate \\\"substantial transformation\\\" as a standard for determining origin, and to extend the application of the country of origin tariff-shift rules in 19 C.F.R. Part 102 to all \\\"product of\\\" or \\\"country of origin\\\" determinations unless otherwise excepted.

Customs is also proposing to modify the tariff shift rules for certain products (e.g.: pipe fittings and flanges, greeting cards, glass optical fiber, and rice preparations) and has proposed changes to the tariff-shift rules in Part 102 for certain textile products