The USITC has posted the 2013 electronic edition of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). The rates reflected in the 2013 edition will be effective on January 1, 2013.

The 2013 HTS reflects:

• staging of preferential duty rates applicable under existing (already proclaimed) free trade agreements that became effective on January 1, 2013; and
• statistical changes approved by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of the Tariff Schedules (also known as the “484(f)” committee, which analyzes and evaluates petitions requesting changes in HTS statistical reporting categories), that went into effect on January 1, 2013.

The 2013 HTS will be printed and available for purchase from the Government Printing Office later in January.

As a courtesy to users, the printed version of the 2013 HTS will include a quick-response (QR) code on the front cover which, when scanned with a smart phone or tablet equipped with a QR code reader, will take users via their phones or tablets to the electronic HTS posted on the USITC web site. The electronic version is almost always the most current version of the HTS, as changes are incorporated as they become effective.

Supplements to the 2013 HTS are expected during the year. Watch this space or the HTS page for updates as they become available.