Targeted Tariff Relief
Eliminate Select Tariffs to Reduce Import Costs

Summary of SFIA Activities on Tariff Relief

The SFIA identifies outdated tariffs on sporting goods & fitness products then works with Congress and the Federal Government to eliminate or reduce them to lower import costs.

More Information on Tariff Relief
With the global ‘Doha Round” trade talks stalled, the U.S. approved bi-lateral Free Trade Agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea and renewed the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).  The U.S. continues to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement with Pacific-rim countries. SFIA supports the Free Trade Agreements & the renewal of the GSP renewal and opposes punitive duties on Chinese imports.

Free Trade Agreements
TPP is a multi-lateral trade agreement between 11 Pacific-rim countries (US, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei & Malaysia). Japan, Indonesia, Thailand & the Philippines are interested in signing onto the TPP at a later time. China is currently not interested. The TPP would remove trade barriers between participating countries, including eliminating tariffs to increase market access. The negotiations are in the final stages. One area to be resolved in intellectual property as the U.S. is seeking greater protection of intellectual property rights.

Generalized System of Preferences
The industry will get additional tariff relief from Congress vote to renew the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). The GSP renewal brings much relief to SFIA Members who were forced to pay duty on previously duty-free GSP-eligible sporting goods entries. GSP benefits expired on January 1, 2011.  Congress made GSP benefits retroactive to that expiration date and extended the GSP program through July 31, 2013.  Manufacturers should request duty refunds from U.S. Customs & Border Protection for affected imports during the period of retroactivity.

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For more information on tariff relief, please contact Bill Sells at 301.495.6321 or at bsells@sfia.org.