Deadline of 18 April for US GSP duty refund claims

The United States Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme was renewed on 4 November 2011 and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced procedures for claiming duty refunds for exports eligible under the GSP programme.

There will be an 18 April 2012 deadline for filing claims for refunds of duties paid on GSP-eligible merchandise entered or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption during the period 1 January through 4 November 2011.

The GSP expired on 1 January 2011, but was retroactively renewed effective 4 November. Since refunds were automatic for those products marked with the Special Programme Indicator, the CBP has begun processing refunds for entries filed via the Automated Broker Interface with the special programme indicator “A” for duties deposited on GSP-eligible goods during the period 1 January through 4 November. For entries filed with the SPI “A” that have reached their liquidation date, CBP will re-liquidate with the retroactive GSP benefits.

CBP adds that claims for retroactive GSP benefits on non-ABI entries or entries filed without the SPI “A” must be filed by 18 April 2012, and should be filed at the port where the goods were entered. CBP recommends that importers monitor refunds to ensure their receipt of applicable duties because claims for retroactive GSP refunds do not have a separate 180-day protest period in addition to the time period specified in H.R. 2832, the GSP renewal law.

Please check the link for more information: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/international_agreements/special_trade_programs/gsp_gen_system/