CLA-2-85:OT:RR:NC:N1:112

Adam Cook
Okaya USA
64 W. Seegers Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

RE: The tariff classification and status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), of motor cores from Canada; Article 509

Dear Mr. Cook:

In your letter dated May 8, 2014, you requested a ruling on the status of motor cores from Canada under the NAFTA.

The items under consideration are rotors and stators for electrical motors. In your example, you state that non-oriented electrical steel of 0.15 – 0.7 mm thickness is imported from Japan into Canada in flat rolled coils. In Canada, the material is stamped into specific design patterns based on the needs of the customer, and further pressed and laminated to form a rotor or stator core. The rotors and stators are then exported to a U.S. manufacturing company to be further assembled into electrical motors for use in vehicles or appliances. You did not indicate a specific part number or the rating of the rotors and stators.

The applicable tariff provision for the rotor or stator assembly for use in a motor with a maximum output under 18.65 W will be 8503.00.3500, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for "Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the machines of heading 8501 or 8502: Stators and rotors for the goods of heading 8501: For motors of under 18.65 W." The general rate of duty will be 6.5%.

The applicable tariff provision for the rotor or stator assembly for use in a motor with a maximum output at or above 18.65 W will be 8503.00.6500, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for "Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the machines of heading 8501 or 8502: Stators and rotors for the goods of heading 8501: Other." The general rate of duty will be 3%.

Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.

General Note 12(b), HTSUS, sets forth the criteria for determining whether a good is originating under the NAFTA. General Note 12(b), HTSUS, (19 U.S.C. § 1202) states, in pertinent part, that

For the purposes of this note, goods imported into the customs territory of the United States are eligible for the tariff treatment and quantitative limitations set forth in the tariff schedule as “goods originating in the territory of a NAFTA party” only if--

(i) they are goods wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of Canada, Mexico and/or the United States; or

(ii) they have been transformed in the territory of Canada, Mexico and/or the United States so that--

(A) except as provided in subdivision (f) of this note, each of the non-originating materials used in the production of such goods undergoes a change in tariff classification described in subdivisions (r), (s) and (t) of this note or the rules set forth therein, or

(B) the goods otherwise satisfy the applicable requirements of subdivisions (r), (s) and (t) where no change in tariff classification is required, and the goods satisfy all other requirements of this note; or

(iii) they are goods produced entirely in the territory of Canada, Mexico and/or the United States exclusively from originating materials; or

(iv) they are produced entirely in the territory of Canada, Mexico and/or the United States but one or more of the nonoriginating materials falling under provisions for “parts” and used in the production of such goods does not undergo a change in tariff classification because--

(A) the goods were imported into the territory of Canada, Mexico and/or the United States in unassembled or disassembled form but were classified as assembled goods pursuant to general rule of interpretation 2(a), or

(B) the tariff headings for such goods provide for and specifically describe both the goods themselves and their parts and is not further divided into subheadings, or the subheadings for such goods provide for and specifically describe both the goods themselves and their parts, provided that such goods do not fall under chapters 61 through 63, inclusive, of the tariff schedule, and provided further that the regional value content of such goods, determined in accordance with subdivision (c) of this note, is not less than 60 percent where the transaction value method is used, or is not less than 50 percent where the net cost method is used, and such goods satisfy all other applicable provisions of this note.

Based on the facts provided, the goods described above qualify for NAFTA preferential treatment, because they will meet the requirements of HTSUS General Note 12(b)(ii)(A). The goods will therefore be entitled to a Free rate of duty under the NAFTA upon compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and agreements.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 181 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 181).

A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Karl Moosbrugger at [email protected].


Sincerely,

Gwenn Klein Kirschner
Acting Director
National Commodity Specialist Division