Title 19—Customs Duties--Volume 1
PART 361—ALUMINUM IMPORT MONITORING AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM
§ 361.101   Aluminum import licensing.
(a) In general. (1) All imports of basic aluminum products are subject to the import licensing requirements imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce). These products are listed on the Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) system website ( https://www.trade.gov/aluminum ). Registered users will be able to obtain aluminum import licenses on the AIM system website. This website contains two sections related to import licensing—the online registration system and the automatic aluminum import license issuance system. Aluminum import licenses must be provided to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP or Customs) as discussed in this section. Information gathered from these licenses will be aggregated and posted on the import monitoring section of the AIM system website.
(2) A single license may cover multiple products as long as certain information on the license ( e.g., importer, exporter, manufacturer and country of origin) remains the same. However, separate licenses for aluminum entered under a single entry will be required if the information differs. As a result, a single Customs entry may require more than one aluminum import license. The applicable license(s) must cover the total quantity of aluminum entered and should cover the same information provided on the Customs entry summary.
(b) Entries for consumption. All entries for consumption of covered aluminum products, other than the exceptions discussed in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, will require an import license prior to the filing of Customs entry summary documents, or its electronic equivalent. The license number(s) must be reported on the entry summary (Customs Form 7501), or its electronic equivalent, at the time of filing. There is no requirement to present physical copies of the license forms at the time of entry summary. However, copies must be maintained in accordance with Customs' normal requirements. Entry summaries submitted without the required license number(s) will be considered incomplete and will be subject to liquidated damages for violation of the bond condition requiring timely completion of entry.
(c) Foreign Trade Zone admissions. All shipments of covered aluminum products into a foreign trade zone (FTZ), known as FTZ admissions, will require an import license prior to the filing of FTZ admission documents, or its electronic equivalents. The license number(s) must be reported on the application for FTZ admission and/or status designation (Customs Form 214) at the time of filing. There is no requirement to present physical copies of the license forms at the time of FTZ admission; however, copies must be maintained in accordance with Customs' normal requirements. FTZ admission documents submitted without the required license number(s) will not be considered complete and will be subject to liquidated damages for violation of the bond condition requiring timely completion of admission. The aluminum license for FTZ admission does not expire, and a further aluminum license will not be required for shipments of entries for consumption from zones into the commerce of the United States.
(d) Informal entries. No import license shall be required on informal entries of covered aluminum products, such as merchandise valued at less than $2,500. This exemption applies to informal entries only; imports of aluminum valued at less than $2,500 that are part of a formal entry will require a license. For additional information, refer to 19 CFR 143.21 through 143.28.
(e) Other non-consumption entries. Import licenses are not required on temporary importation bond (TIB) entries, transportation and exportation (T&E) entries or entries into a bonded warehouse. Covered aluminum products withdrawn for consumption from a bonded warehouse will require a license at the entry summary in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.
§  361.102   Online registration.
(a) In general. (1) Any importer, importing company, customs broker or importer's agent with a U.S. street address may register and obtain the username necessary to log on to the automatic aluminum import license issuance system. Foreign companies may obtain a username if they have a U.S. address through which they may be reached; P.O. boxes will not be accepted. A username will be issued within two business days. Companies will be able to register online through the AIM system website. However, should a company prefer to apply for a username non-electronically, a phone/email option will be available at Commerce during regular business hours.
(2) This username will be required in order to log on to the aluminum import license issuance system. A single username will be issued to an importer, customs broker or importer's agent. Operating units within the company ( e.g., individual branches, divisions or employees) will all use the same basic company username but can supply suffixes to identify the branches. The aluminum import license issuance system will be designed to allow multiple users of a single identification number from different locations within the company to enter information simultaneously.
(b) Information required to obtain a username. In order to obtain a username, the importer, importing company, customs broker or importer's agent will be required to provide general information. This information will include: The filer company name, employer identification number (EIN) or Customs ID number (the Customs-issued importer number) (where no EIN is available), U.S. street address, phone number, contact information and email address for both the company headquarters and any branch offices that will be applying for aluminum licenses. It is the responsibility of the applicant to keep the information up to date. This information will not be released by Commerce, except as required by U.S. law.
§  361.103   Automatic issuance of import licenses.
(a) In general. Aluminum import licenses will be issued to registered importers, customs brokers or their agents through an automatic aluminum import licensing system. The licenses will be issued automatically after the completion of the form.
(b) Customs entry number. Filers are not required to report a Customs entry number to obtain an import license but are encouraged to do so if the Customs entry number is known at the time of filing for the license.
(c) Information required to obtain an import license. (1) The following information is required to be reported in order to obtain an import license (if using the automatic licensing system, some of this information will be provided automatically from information submitted as part of the registration process):
(i) Filer company name and address;
(ii) Filer contact name, phone number, email address;
(iii) Entry type ( i.e., Consumption, FTZ);
(iv) Importer name;
(v) Exporter name;
(vi) Manufacturer name (filer may state “unknown”);
(vii) Country of origin;
(viii) Country of exportation;
(ix) Expected date of export;
(x) Expected date of import;
(xi) Expected port of entry;
(xii) Current Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number (from Chapter 76);
(xiii) Country where the largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted (see paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section);
(xiv) Country where the second largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted (see paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section);
(xv) Country where the product was most recently cast (see paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section);
(xvi) Quantity (in kilograms); and
(xvii) Customs value (US$).
(2) Certain fields will be automatically filled out by the automatic license system based on information submitted by the filer ( e.g., product category, unit value). Filers should review these fields to help confirm the accuracy of the submitted data.
(3)(i) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(xiii) of this section:
(A) The field in the license application requiring identification of the country where the largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted applies to the country where the largest volume of new aluminum metal is produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall-Héroult process.
(B) Filers may state “not applicable” for this field if the product contains only secondary aluminum and no primary aluminum. Secondary aluminum is defined as aluminum metal that is produced from recycled aluminum scrap through a re-melting process.
(C) For license applications up to June 28, 2022, filers may state “unknown” for this field. Effective June 29, 2022, filers may not state “unknown” for this field.
(ii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(xiv) of this section:
(A) The field in the license application requiring identification of the country where the second largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted applies to the country where the second largest volume of new aluminum metal is produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall-Héroult process.
(B) Filers may state “not applicable” for this field if the product does not contain a second largest volume of primary aluminum or if the product contains only secondary aluminum and no primary aluminum. Secondary aluminum is defined as aluminum metal that is produced from recycled aluminum scrap through a re-melting process.
(C) For license applications up to June 28, 2022, filers may state “unknown” for this field. Effective June 29, 2022, filers may not state “unknown” for this field.
(iii) For purposes of paragraph (c)(1)(xv) of this section:
(A) The field in the license application requiring identification of the country where the product was most recently cast applies to the country where the aluminum (with or without alloying elements) was last liquified by heat and cast into a solid state. The final solid state can take the form of either a semi-finished product (slab, billets or ingots) or a finished aluminum product.
(B) Filers may not state “not applicable” for this field.
(C) Filers may not state “unknown” for this field.
(4) Upon completion of the form, the importer, customs broker or the importer's agent will certify as to the accuracy and completeness of the information and submit the form electronically. After refreshing the page, the system will automatically issue an aluminum import license number. The refreshed form containing the submitted information and the newly issued license number will appear on the screen (the “license form”). Filers can print the license form themselves only at that time. For security purposes, users will not be able to retrieve licenses themselves from the license system at a later date for reprinting. If needed, copies of completed license forms can be requested from Commerce during normal business hours.
(d) Duration of the aluminum import license. The aluminum import license can be applied for up to 60 days prior to the expected date of importation and until the date of filing of the entry summary documents, or in the case of FTZ admissions, the filing of Customs Form 214, or their electronic equivalents. With the exception of the licenses for FTZ admission ( see § 361.101(c)), the aluminum import license is valid for 75 days; however, import licenses that were valid on the date of importation but expired prior to the filing of entry summary data will be accepted.
(e) Correcting submitted license information. Users will need to correct licenses themselves if they determine that there was an error submitted. To access a previously issued license, a user must log on with his username and identify the license number and the volume (quantity in kilograms) for the first product shown on the license. The information on the license should match the information presented in the entry summary data as closely as possible. This includes the value and quantity of the shipment, the expected date of importation, and the Customs port of entry.
(f) Low-value licenses. There is one exception to the requirement for obtaining a unique license for each Customs entry. If the total value of the covered aluminum portion of an entry is less than $5,000, applicants may apply to Commerce for a low-value license that can be used in lieu of a single-entry license for low-value entries.
§  361.104   Aluminum import monitoring.
(a) Commerce will maintain an import monitoring system on the public AIM system website that will report certain aggregate information on imports of aluminum products obtained from the aluminum licenses and, where available, from publicly available U.S. import statistics. Aggregate data will be reported, as appropriate, on a monthly basis by country of origin, country of smelt, country of last cast, relevant aluminum product grouping, etc., and will include import quantity (metric tons), import Customs value (U.S. $), and average unit value ($/metric ton). The website will also contain certain aggregate data at the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule level and will also present a range of historical data for comparison purposes. Provision of aggregate data on the website may be revisited should concerns arise over the possible release of proprietary data.
(b) Reported monthly import data will be refreshed each week, as appropriate, with new data on licenses issued during the previous week. This data will also be adjusted periodically for cancelled or unused aluminum import licenses, as appropriate. Additionally, outdated license data will be replaced, where available, with publicly available U.S. import statistics.
§  361.105   [Reserved]
§  361.106   Fees.
No fees will be charged for obtaining a username, issuing an aluminum import license or accessing the aluminum import monitoring system.
§  361.107   Hours of operation.
The automatic licensing system will generally be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but may be unavailable at selected times for server maintenance. If the system is unavailable for an extended period of time, parties will be able to obtain licenses from Commerce directly via email ( aluminum.license@trade.gov ) during regular business hours. Should the system be inaccessible for an extended period of time, Commerce would advise CBP to consider this as part of mitigation on any liquidated damage claims that may be issued.
§  361.108   Loss of electronic licensing privileges.
Should Commerce determine that a filer consistently files inaccurate licensing information or otherwise abuses the licensing system, Commerce may revoke its electronic licensing privileges without prior notice. The filer will then only be able to obtain a license directly from Commerce. Because of the additional time needed to review such forms, Commerce may require up to 10 working days to process such forms. Delays in filing caused by the removal of a filer's electronic filing privilege will not be considered a mitigating factor by CBP.