USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced effective January 25, 2016, they will begin applying late payment and interest charges on past due assessments under the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Order.
Under the Order, assessments are collected from importers and manufacturers to promote the use of paper and paper-based packaging.
Fees are assessed on imports of paper and paper-based packaging of select Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers in Sub-Headings 4802, 4804, 4805, 4807, 4810 and 4811, at a rate of $.000386 per kilogram. This fee is not yet collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Until the Paper and Paper Based Packaging Board is fully operational, this fee is paid directly to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by importers and producers. Fees are due within 30 calendars days after the end of the quarter in which the paper and paper-based packaging was imported.
If the fee is not paid within 60 calendar days of the due date, the Board may impose a late payment charge, with interest.
Importers and producers who import or produce an average of more than 100,000 short tons of paper and paper-based packaging annually will be affected.
Revenue generated by these assessments is used to finance research and promotion programs designed to increase consumer demand for paper and paper-based packaging in the U.S. and international markets.
If you have any questions regarding the Paper or Paper-Based Packaging Assessment Fee, Livingston can help! Please contact either your Livingston account manager or our regulatory affairs department at usregaffairs@livingstonintl.com