Canadian Steel And Aluminum Importers Can Receive US Surtax Relief At Time Of Import

You learned in Are You Eligible To Request Remission Of Canada's New US Surtaxes? how an importer can receive a refund on surtax paid in special circumstances of steel and aluminum imports. As an importer of steel or aluminum, what if you could avoid paying the surtax at the time of import?

On October 11th, 2018, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) published the United States Surtax Remission Order. The Order notes that certain commodities can be relieved of paying the surtax at the time of import. To be relieved of surtaxes the items must be classified under the tariffs and be of the same description listed in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the remission order. A description of the conditions these products must meet are listed below:

What Steel And Aluminum Commodities Are Relieved Of US Surtax?

In this Notice, CBSA states "Remission is granted for those goods described in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 attached to the remission order under the following conditions:

• (a) the good listed in the schedule was imported into Canada on or after July 1, 2018 and subject to surtaxes;
• (b) no other claim for relief of the surtax has been granted under the Customs Tariff in respect of the good;
• (c) the importer makes a claim for remission to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness within two years after the date of importation.
• (d) the importer files, on request, the evidence or information that the Canada Border Services Agency requires to determine eligibility for remission;
• (e) the importer agrees that it is subject, at any time, including after the remission, to review by the Canada Border Services Agency for the purpose of determining whether the information supplied by the importer under paragraph (c) or (d) is accurate and complete and whether the facts on which the Canada Border Services Agency relied or intends to rely to determine the eligibility for remission remain unchanged in all material respects; and
• (f) at the time when the Canada Border Services Agency conducts the review referred to in paragraph (e), the Canada Border Services Agency must be able to conclude that the information supplied remains accurate and complete and that the facts remain unchanged in all material respects.
• (g) goods described in Schedule 2 must be imported into Canada no later than December 31, 2018."

Source: Canada border Services Customs Notice 18-16, October 11, 2018.

Proof in meeting these criteria must be provided.

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What Other Commodities Are Relieved Of The US Surtax?

Remission is granted for goods classified under tariff item No. 8903.10.00, 8903.91.00, 8903.92.00 or 8903.99.90 in the List of Tariff Provisions set out in the schedule to the Customs Tariff, excluding those that have been exported from Canada and then subsequently re-imported into Canada. "Remission for these goods is granted under the following conditions as stated in the Notice:

• (a) the good was imported into Canada on or after July 1, 2018 and subject to surtaxes;
• (b) the good was both purchased under contract and sold under contract prior to May 31, 2018;
• (c) no other claim for relief of the surtax has been granted under the Customs Tariff in respect of the good;
• (d) the importer makes a claim for remission to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness within two years after the date of importation;
• (e) the importer files, on request, the evidence or information that the Canada Border Services Agency requires to determine eligibility for remission;
• (f) the importer agrees that it is subject, at any time, including after the remission, to review by the Canada Border Services Agency for the purpose of determining whether the information supplied by the importer under paragraph (d) or (e) is accurate and complete and whether the facts on which the Canada Border Services Agency relied or intends to rely to determine the eligibility for remission remain unchanged in all material respects; and
• (g) at the time when the Canada Border Services Agency conducts the review referred to in paragraph (f), the Canada Border Services Agency must be able to conclude that the information supplied remains accurate and complete and that the facts remain unchanged in all material respects."

Source: Canada border Services Customs Notice 18-16, October 11, 2018.

CBSA further states that the remittance will only be granted if they were correctly classified under tariff item No. 8903.10.00, 8903.91.00, 8903.92.00 or 8903.99.90. The item could not have been exported from Canada and then re-imported, unless temporarily imported for repair, alteration or storage. Proof of meeting all criteria must be provided.

Are You Eligible To Request Remission Of Canada's New US Surtaxes?

Are Goods Temporarily Imported Into Canada Relieved Of US Surtax?

Yes, if they were imported for repair, alteration, or storage and the following criteria are met as outlined by the Notice.

• (a) the goods are exported immediately after having been repaired, altered or removed from storage, whichever occurs last, but no later than twelve months after the date on which the imported goods were released; and
• (b) no other claim for relief of the surtax has been granted under the Customs Tariff in respect of the goods.
• (c) the importer makes a claim for remission to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness within two years after the date of importation;
• (d) the importer files, on request, the evidence or information that the Canada Border Services Agency requires to determine eligibility for remission;
• (e) the importer agrees that it is subject, at any time, including after the remission, to review by the Canada Border Services Agency for the purpose of determining whether the information supplied by the importer under paragraph (c) or (d) is true, accurate and complete and whether the facts on which the Canada Border Services Agency relied or intends to rely to determine the eligibility for remission remain unchanged in all material respects; and
• (f) at the time when the Canada Border Services Agency conducts the review referred to in paragraph (e), the Canada Border Services Agency must be able to conclude that the information supplied remains true, accurate and complete and that the facts remain unchanged in all material respects."

Source: Canada border Services Customs Notice 18-16, October 11, 2018.

In order to be eligible for any of these above noted exemptions, the products must both be of a tariff item and description listed in the Department of Finance notice found here: List of Goods Subject to Remission of Countermeasures on Certain Steel and Aluminum Goods from the US.

You must also provide proof of meeting these criteria to CBSA. If working with a Customs Broker, you will need to provide supporting documentation to them in order to receive these exemptions.

What If You Already Paid The US Surtax?

If you have already paid surtax on items listed in this post, and would like for us to submit a claim for remission of the surtaxes paid, please provide documentation and/or product literature which proves your product is one of those listed in the linked document above for each import transaction. The CBSA will require this proof in order to review and process the claim for refund of the surtaxes paid. Note: Additional charges will apply for preparing and submitting the request for the refund.