Braumiller Consulting Group: The magic number we found in the Section 301 tariff exclusion requests that we filed

After filing hundreds of exclusion requests over the past year, we discovered that our approval rate stands at 75%.* The industry average stands at 33%. What we have also discovered within the trade community is that the Commerce Department representatives reviewing the requests are declining many as a result of the HTS classifications being incorrect. Does that surprise you? In truth, incorrect classifications have a way of creeping into the import process. Identifying and correcting HTS errors play a critical role in this process, and exclusion requests are no exception. 

The Section 301 China tariffs don’t seem to be going anywhere soon, despite recent developments noted by the U.S. trade representatives. We also now have E.U. tariffs implemented on $7.5 billion worth of goods, (and the E.U.’s forthcoming retaliation) which will become a new headache for many importers. 

What’s your plan? Why not get ahead of the curve? Sample your HTS classification with fresh eyes. A third-party review is a great way to get a new perspective, especially now that List #4 exclusion request submissions are open until January 31st, 2020.

And yes…. this piece may seem like a rather selfish plug…. but we conduct these audits on a regular basis for many of our clients, which we think has been a cornerstone to our success rate on their behalf when filing. If you are not currently a client, would you care to be one?

Contact Brad Menard VP of Braumiller Consulting: [email protected]