Overview
All commercialized Products must have the appropriate Customs Tariff classifications and Other Governmental agencies assigned in GTS in order to import or export goods into and out of the country. Once a product has been designated for commercial sales by the Global Business Unit (GBU) a U.S. and/or a Canadian plant view is attached to the material code. Once this has been completed, the material will appear on the Global Trade Systems (GTS) classification work list, to be classified according to the rules and regulations of the country involved (U.S., Canada, or Schedule B for exports)
Steps of the process – Classification of commercialized products
- US and/or Canadian Plant View is created in SAP (RCS) by Supply Chain in the Global Business Unit (GBU) which is transmitted over to Global Trade System (GTS)
- Process Expert – CTC will run the work list in the Customs Management Module of GTS. If the material already exists in a different package size, the Process Expert will copy the information from the existing material to the new package size in GTS. If it is a new product, the Process Expert will fill out Section I of the CCIP form which includes the product description and the material code. The CCIP form will then be sent via email to the appropriate Product Steward.
- The Product Steward then fills out Section II (HTS code information) and Section III (OGA information) of the form and emails a copy of the CCIP form and the SDS to the DOT Hazard specialist and the CTC team. The DOT Specialist will assign the appropriate DOT hazard classification in SAP (RCS) which is then fed over to GTS.
- CTC will review the suggested tariff classification provided by the Product Steward using the most current copy of US Harmonized Tariff Schedule issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Process Expert – CTC will investigate by using CROSS (Customs Rulings Online Search System) to determine if there are any rulings associated with the product or the chemistry and will also consult the Explanatory Notes of the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule if necessary. If a ruling is found, the ruling will be applied and noted in the GTS system. If CTC has any questions, they can discuss with the Product Steward. If after thorough review a US Classification cannot be determined, then we can seek out a binding ruling by Customs Border Protection (CBP).
- Once the US classification has been determined, the Process Expert will review and assign the Canadian Tariff Classification and the US Schedule B classification (export) by using the Canada Border Services Agencies most current version of the Customs Tariff Schedule as well as the United States Census Bureau’s most current version of the Schedule B tariff schedule.
- Once all appropriate tariff classifications have been reviewed. The information is applied in GTS and an email is sent to Product Steward, requestor, and DOT Specialist to let them know it is completed.
ANNEXES
- Customs and Compliance Information Process (CCIP) form and instructions
- US Tariff Classification Schedule: http://www.usitc.gov/tariff_affairs.htm
- Canadian Tariff Classification Schedule: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/trade-commerce
- US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/schedules/b/
- Customs Rulings: http://rulings.cbp.gov/index.asp

