CLA-2-39:S:N:N3G:221 868326
Mr. Jeffrey H. Pfeffer
Fritz Companies, Inc.
40 Exchange Place, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10005
RE: The tariff classification of surgical drapes and pouches
from the Dominican Republic.
Dear Mr. Pfeffer:
In your letter dated October 29, 1991, on behalf of Microtek
Medical Inc., you requested a tariff classification ruling.
Two samples were submitted with your request. Pouch style
8137 is a C-birth pouch. Drape style 3904 is an arthroscopy
drape with irrigation pouch. Both are used for the collection
and sanitary disposal of body fluids and irrigation associated
with surgical procedures. Though you describe both articles as
being made of plastics material, only the pouch is made of
plastics. The material comprising the drape has been analyzed by
the New York Customs Laboratory and found to be a nonwoven
material composed of rayon textile fibers and wood pulp fibers.
The rayon fibers constitute over 75 percent by weight of the
nonwoven fabric.
The applicable subheading for the plastic pouch will be
3926.90.9090, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS), which provides for other articles of plastics, other. The
rate of duty will be 5.3 percent ad valorem.
The applicable subheading for the surgical drape will be
6307.90.6090, HTS, which provides for other made up textile
articles...surgical drapes, of fabric formed on a base of paper
or covered or lined with paper, other. The rate of duty will be
5.6 percent ad valorem.
Articles classifiable under subheading 3926.90.9090 or
6307.90.6090, HTS, which are products of the Dominican Republic,
are entitled to duty free treatment under the Generalized System
of Preferences (GSP) and the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI)
upon compliance with all applicable regulations.
You question whether the merchandise is entitled to duty-
free treatment pursuant to U.S. Note 2(b), subchapter II, Chapter
98, of the HTS. This note provides for the duty free treatment
of articles, other than certain excluded articles, which are
assembled or processed in a Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act
beneficiary country, wholly of fabricated components or
ingredients (except water) of U.S. origin. As long as only U.S.
origin components are used during the foreign manufacturing
operation, and the applicable documentation requirements are
satisfied, the plastic pouches and nonwoven textile surgical
drapes may enter the United States free of duty pursuant to Note
2(b) of subchapter II, Chapter 98, HTS.
You also request a ruling on the country of origin marking
requirements.
Unless excepted by law, Section 304, Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 1304), requires that every article of foreign
origin (or its container) be legibly and conspicuously marked to
indicate the country of origin to the ultimate purchaser in the
United States. Products manufactured in the Dominican Republic
from materials produced in the United States are considered to be
products of the Dominican Republic for purposes of the marking
requirements, and must be marked as such unless exempted.
Marking with a label stating "Made in the Dominican Republic" as
you suggest would satisfy the marking requirements, as long as
the label is securely affixed and is in a conspicuous location.
If the product is made entirely of materials of United States
origin, that may be disclosed by using a legend such as "Made in
the Dominican Republic from material of U.S. origin," or a
similar phrase.
You question whether these products may be excepted from the
marking requirements if they satisfy the requirements of U.S.
Note 2(b), since that note directs that eligible products are not
to be treated as foreign articles. As long as the imported
articles meet the requirements of Note 2(b) to Subchapter II,
Chapter 98, HTS, they need not be marked with the Caribbean
country of processing.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section
177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry
documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the
documents have already been filed, this ruling should be brought
to the attention of the Customs officer handling the transaction.
Sincerely,
Jean F. Maguire
Acting Area Director
New York Seaport