CLA-2-72:RR:NC:1:117 H86672
Mr. Jose M. Zelaya
Global Market Services, Inc.
420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 607
New York, NY 10170
RE: The tariff classification of steel rebars from the Dominican Republic.
Dear Mr. Zelaya:
In your letters dated November 29 and December 18, 2001, you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The products to be imported are carbon steel deformed concrete reinforcing bars (rebars) produced in the Dominican Republic from semifinished steel billets produced in other countries such as Brazil. The steel billets, which measure 130 mm x 130 mm x 7M, undergo the following processing operations in the Dominican Republic. They are heated to approximately 1200 C and then undergo a rolling process, passing through progressively narrowing rollers to reduce the cross section. The final sets of rollers are engraved with the “deformed” pattern and the deformations are rolled into the bars. The rebars, ranging in size from 3/8” to 1”, are cut to lengths of approximately 120’ and are air-cooled. They are then cut into the lengths specified by the customer, for example, 20, 30 or 40 feet. The bars are bundled, labeled and color-coded.
In HQ ruling 952462 dated October 26, 1992, it was held that the conversion of stainless steel billets from Japan and Sweden into bars in Trinidad results in a substantial transformation of the billets. The bars were considered to be products of Trinidad for tariff purposes. Therefore, the bars in this case are considered to be products of the Dominican Republic for tariff purposes.
The applicable subheading for the hot-rolled carbon steel rebars will be 7214.20.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for other bars and rods of iron or nonalloy steel, not further worked than forged, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, but including those twisted after rolling, concrete reinforcing bars and rods. The rate of duty will be 1 percent ad valorem.
Articles classifiable under subheading 7214.20.0000, HTS, which are products of the Dominican Republic, may be entitled to duty free treatment under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) upon compliance with all applicable regulations.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
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 Paula Ilardi at 646-733-3020.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Swierupski
Director,
National Commodity
Specialist Division