(a) In general. (1) All imports of basic steel mill products are subject to the import licensing requirements. These products are listed on the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) system website (https://www.trade.gov/steel). Registered users will be able to obtain steel import licenses on the SIMA system website. This website contains two sections related to import licensing—the online registration system and the automatic steel import license issuance system. Information gathered from these licenses will be aggregated and posted on the import monitoring section of the SIMA system website.

(2) A single license may cover multiple products as long as certain information on the license (e.g., importer, exporter, manufacturer and country of origin) remains the same. However, separate licenses for steel entered under a single entry will be required if the information differs. As a result, a single Customs entry may require more than one steel import license. The applicable license(s) must cover the total quantity of steel entered and should cover the same information provided on the Customs entry summary.

(b) Entries for consumption. All entries for consumption of covered steel products, other than the exception for “informal entries” listed in paragraph (d) of this section, will require an import license prior to the filing of Customs entry summary documents. The license number(s) must be reported on the entry summary (Customs Form 7501) at the time of filing. There is no requirement to present physical copies of the license forms at the time of entry summary. However, copies must be maintained in accordance with Customs' normal requirements. Entry summaries submitted without the required license number(s) will be considered incomplete and will be subject to liquidated damages for violation of the bond condition requiring timely completion of entry.

(c) Foreign Trade Zone entries. All shipments of covered steel products into a foreign trade zones (FTZ), known as FTZ admissions, will require an import license prior to the filing of FTZ admission documents. The license number(s) must be reported on the application for FTZ admission and/or status designation (Customs form 214) at the time of filing. There is no requirement to present physical copies of the license forms at the time of FTZ admission; however, copies must be maintained in accordance with Customs' normal requirements. FTZ admission documents submitted without the required license number(s) will not be considered complete and will be subject to liquidated damages for violation of the bond condition requiring timely completion of admission. A further steel license will not be required for shipments from zones into the commerce of the United States.

(d) Informal entries. No import license shall be required on informal entries of covered steel products, such as merchandise valued at less than $2,000. This exemption applies to informal entries only, imports of steel valued at less than $2,000 that are part of a formal entry will require a license. For additional information, refer to 19 CFR 143.21 through 143.28.

(e) Other non-consumption entries. Import licenses are not required on temporary importation bond (TIB) entries, transportation and exportation (T&E) entries or entries into a bonded warehouse. Covered steel products withdrawn for consumption from a bonded warehouse will require a license at the entry summary.

(a) In general. (1) Any importer, importing company, customs broker or importer's agent with a U.S. street address may register and obtain the user identification number necessary to log on to the automatic steel import license issuance system. Foreign companies may obtain a user identification number if they have a U.S. address through which they may be reached; P.O. boxes will not be accepted. A user identification number will be issued within two business days. Companies will be able to register online through the SIMA system Web site. However, should a company prefer to apply for a user identification number non-electronically, a phone/fax option will be available at Commerce during regular business hours.

(2) This user identification number will be required in order to log on to the steel import license issuance system. A single user identification number will be issued to an importer, customs broker or importer's agent. Operating units within the company (e.g., individual branches, divisions or employees) will all use the same basic company user identification code but can supply suffixes to identify the branches. The steel import license issuance system will be designed to allow multiple users of a single identification number from different locations within the company to enter information simultaneously.

(b) Information required to obtain a user identification number. In order to obtain a user identification number, the importer, importing company, customs broker or importer's agent will be required to provide general information. This information will include: the filer company name, employer identification number (EIN) or Customs ID number (where no EIN is available), U.S. street address, phone number, contact information and e-mail address for both the company headquarters and any branch offices that will be applying for steel licenses. It is the responsibility of the applicant to keep the information up-to-date. This information will not be released by Commerce, except as required by U.S. law.

(a) In general. Steel import licenses will be issued to registered importers, customs brokers or their agents through an automatic steel import licensing system. The licenses will be issued automatically after the completion of the form.

(b) Customs entry number. Filers are not required to report a Customs entry number to obtain an import license but are encouraged to do so if the Customs entry number is known at the time of filing for the license.

(c) Information required to obtain an import license. (1) The following information is required to be reported in order to obtain an import license (if using the automatic licensing system, some of this information will be provided automatically from information submitted as part of the registration process):

(i) Filer company name and address;

(ii) Filer contact name, phone number, and email address;

(iii) Entry type (i.e., Consumption, FTZ);

(iv) Importer name;

(v) Exporter name;

(vi) Manufacturer name (filer may state “unknown”);

(vii) Country of origin;

(viii) Country of exportation;

(ix) Expected date of export;

(x) Expected date of import;

(xi) Expected port of entry;

(xii) Current Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number (from Chapters 72 or 73);

(xiii) Country where the steel used in the manufacture of the product was melted and poured (see paragraph (c)(3) of this section for further instruction);

(xiv) Quantity (in kilograms); and

(xv) Customs value (U.S. $).

(2) Certain fields will be automatically filled out by the automatic license system based on information submitted by the filer (e.g., product category, unit value). Filers should review these fields to help confirm the accuracy of the submitted data.

(3)(i) The field in the license application requiring identification of the country where the steel used in the manufacture of the product was melted and poured (see paragraph (c)(1)(xiii) of this section) applies to the original location where the raw steel is:

(A) First produced in a steel-making furnace in a liquid state; and then

(B) Poured into its first solid shape.

(ii) The first solid state can take the form of either a semi-finished product (slab, billets or ingots) or a finished steel mill product. The location of melt and pour is customarily identified on mill test certificates that are commonplace in steel production, generated at each stage of the production process, and maintained in the ordinary course of business. The reporting requirement in paragraph (c)(1)(xiii) of this section will not apply to raw materials used in the steel manufacturing process (i.e., steel scrap; iron ore; pig iron; reduced, processed, or pelletized iron ore; or raw alloys).

(4) Upon completion of the form, the importer, customs broker or the importer's agent will certify as to the accuracy and completeness of the information and submit the form electronically. After refreshing the page, the system will automatically issue a steel import license number. The refreshed form containing the submitted information and the newly issued license number will appear on the screen (the “license form”). Filers can print the license form themselves only at that time. For security purposes, users will not be able to retrieve licenses themselves from the license system at a later date for reprinting. If needed, copies of completed license forms can be requested from Commerce during normal business hours.

(d) Duration of the steel import license. The steel import license can be applied for up to 60 days prior to the expected date of importation and until the date of filing of the entry summary documents, or in the case of FTZ entries, the filing of Customs form 214. The steel import license is valid for 75 days; however, import licenses that were valid on the date of importation but expired prior to the filing of entry summary documents will be accepted.

(e) Correcting submitted license information. Users will need to correct licenses themselves if they determine that there was an error submitted. To access a previously issued license, a user must log on with his user identification code and identify the license number and the volume (in kilograms) for the first product shown on the license. The information on the license should match the information presented on the CF-7501 entry summary document as closely as possible; this includes the value and volume of the shipment, the expected date of importation, and the customs district of entry.

(f) Low-value licenses. There is one exception to the requirement for obtaining a unique license for each Customs entry. If the total value of the covered steel portion of an entry is less than $5,000, applicants may apply to Commerce for a low-value license that can be used in lieu of a single-entry license for low-value entries.

(a) Commerce will maintain an import monitoring system on the SIMA system website that will report certain aggregate information on imports of steel mill products obtained from the steel licenses and, where available, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Aggregate data will be reported, as appropriate, on a monthly basis by country of origin, country of melt and pour, and relevant steel mill product groupings, etc. and will include import quantity (metric tons), import Customs value (U.S. $), and average unit value ($/metric ton). The website will also contain certain aggregate data at the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule level and will also present a range of historical data for comparison purposes. Provision of aggregate data on the website may be revisited should concerns arise over the possible release of proprietary data.

(b) Reported monthly import data will be refreshed each week, as appropriate, with new data on licenses issued during the previous week. This data will also be adjusted periodically for cancelled or unused steel import licenses, as appropriate. Additionally, outdated license data will be replaced, where available, with information from the U.S. Census Bureau.

No fees will be charged for obtaining a user identification number, issuing a steel import license or accessing the steel import surge monitoring system.

The automatic licensing system will generally be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but may be unavailable at selected times for server maintenance. If the system is unavailable for an extended period of time, parties will be able to obtain licenses from Commerce directly via fax during regular business hours. Should the system be inaccessible for an extended period of time, Commerce would advise Customs to consider this as part of mitigation on any liquidated damage claims that may be issued.

Should Commerce determine that a filer consistently files inaccurate licensing information or otherwise abuses the licensing system, Commerce may revoke its electronic licensing privileges without prior notice. The filer will then only be able to obtain a license directly from Commerce. Because of the additional time need to review such forms, Commerce may require up to 10 working days to process such forms. Delays in filing caused by the removal of a filer's electronic filing privilege will not be considered a mitigating factor by the U.S. Customs Service.