This part provides the Department of Labor's rules to implement and administer the high-wage components of the labor value content requirements, as provided in the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada, and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act.

(a) The USMCA replaces the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The USMCA Preamble states that the parties to the agreement are resolved to, among other things, “facilitate trade in goods and services between the Parties by preventing, identifying, and eliminating unnecessary technical barriers to trade, enhancing transparency, and promoting good regulatory practices,” and that the Parties are resolved to “promote the protection and enforcement of labor rights, the improvement of working conditions, the strengthening of cooperation and the Parties' capacity on labor issues.”

(b) The purpose of the USMCA Implementation Act is to implement the USMCA. Section 202A of the Act, codified at 19 U.S.C. 4532,in. This Article establishes a labor value content requirement for passenger vehicles, light trucks, and heavy trucks, pursuant to which an importer can obtain preferential tariff treatment for a covered vehicle only if it meets certain minimum percentage benchmarks concerning the portion of the vehicle produced by workers who meet certain wage requirements, as described in subparts B, C, and D.

As used in this part—

Administrative law judge. Administrative law judge means a Department of Labor official appointed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105.

Administrator. Administrator means the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, United States Department of Labor, and such authorized representatives as may be designated to perform any of the functions of the Administrator under this part.

Alternative staging regime. Alternative staging regime means the alternative to the standard staging regime, and provides for a different phase-in of the LVC requirements and additional time to meet those requirements.

Annual purchase value. Annual purchase value, as defined in the Uniform Regulations, means the sum of the values of high-wage materials purchased annually by a producer for use in the production of passenger vehicles, light trucks, or heavy trucks in a plant located in the territory of a USMCA Country.

Automotive Appendix. Automotive Appendix means the Appendix to Annex 4-B of the USMCA.

Automotive good. Automotive good means a covered vehicle or a part, component, or material listed in the Automotive Appendix.

CBP. CBP means United States Customs and Border Protection, including its Commissioner.

Covered vehicle. Covered vehicle means a passenger vehicle, light truck, or heavy truck.

Department. Department means the United States Department of Labor.

High-wage components of the LVC requirements. High-wage components of the LVC requirements means the high-wage components of material and manufacturing expenditures, information technology expenditures, and assembly expenditures.

LVC. LVC means labor value content.

Plant and/or Facility. These terms are used interchangeably throughout this part and invoke the terms' meanings as found in the USMCA, Uniform Regulations, and applicable CBP guidance and regulations.

Producer. Producer means an individual or entity who engages in the production and/or assembly of automotive goods in North America. Except where indicated otherwise, the term “producer” encompasses the terms “importer” and “exporter” and their definitions as found in the Uniform Regulations, CBP regulations, and Appendix 5, Article 5.1 of the USMCA.

Secretary. Secretary means the Secretary of Labor or the Secretary's designee.

Uniform Regulations. Uniform Regulations means the regulations agreed upon by the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada, pursuant to Chapter 5, Article 5.16 of the USMCA, regarding, in part, the interpretation, application, and administration of Chapter 4 (Rules of Origin) and Chapter 5 (Origin Procedures) of the USMCA.

USMCA. USMCA means the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada.

USMCA Country(ies). USMCA Country means the United States of America, the United Mexican States, or Canada. USCMA Countries means any combination of the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada. These regulations use these terms interchangeably with the term “North America.”

USMCA Implementation Act. USMCA Implementation Act means the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, Pub. L. 116-113, 134 Stat. 11 (2020), which is codified at 19 U.S.C. 1508,as,and.S.C. 4501 et seq.

WHD. WHD means the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor.