G/LIC/N/2/USA/4  
 
25 February 2021  
(21-1643) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: English  
 
 
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 5.1 TO 5.4 OF THE AGREEMENT1 
UNITED STATES 
The following notification dated  19 February  2021, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of the United States . 
 
 Category  Notification details  
1 Notifying Member  United States  
2 Title of new 
legislation/procedure  Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis System  
3 Date of Publication  11 September 2020  
4 Date of entry into force  13 October 2020  
5 Website link/Official 
publication of the new 
regulation/procedure  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/11/2020 -
19753/steel -import -monitoring -and-analysis -system   
6 Have you attached a co py 
of the regulation (PDF) to 
the Secretariat  [] Yes. ( Please attach a copy of the regulation to the notification. ) 
 
[X] No. 
7 Type of notification  [ ] (a) New licensing regulation/procedure2; (please answer question 
8 to 14)  
 
[X] (b) Changes to a regulation/procedure which has been previously 
notified in document: G/LIC/N/2/USA/1;  (please answer question 15 
and 16 ) 
8 List of products subject to 
licensing  https://www.trade.gov/steel -products -hts-codes   
9 Nature of licensing  Automatic: [ X] 
 
Non-Automatic: [ ]  
10 Administrative 
purpose/measure being 
implemented  (a)  Protect public morals;  
(b)  Protect human, animal or plant life and health; protect 
environment;  
(c)  Collect trade statistics or market surveillance;  
(d)  Protection of patents, trademarks and copyrights, and 
the prevention of deceptive practices;  
(e)  Pursue obligations under the UN Charter and other 
international treaties ( i.e. CITES, Basel Convention, 
Rotterdam Convention, UNSC Resolutions etc.)  
(f)  Quota (including TRQ) administration;  
 
1 It is understood that the notifying Member has also completed its notification obligations under 
Article  1.4(a) and Article 8.2(b) regarding the relevant law/regulation/procedure notified for by filling this form 
in a full and complete manner.  
2 "New licen sing regulation/procedure" is understood to refer to any newly introduced law, regulation or 
procedure, and those which are in force but being notified for the first time to the Committee.  
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   Category  Notification details  
(g)  Regulate imports of arms, ammunition or fissionable 
materials and safeguard national security;  
(h)  Other: ______________ (please specify)  
11 Administrative body(ies) 
for submission of 
applications   
 Ministry/authority and Department: U.S. Department of Commerce  
Address: 1401 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20230  
Website: www.trade.gov/steel   
Telephone: 202-482-2105 
E-Mail: steel.license@trade.gov  
12 Contact point for 
information on eligibil ity Ministry/authority and Department: U.S. Department of Commerce  
Address: 1401 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20230  
Website: www.trade.gov/steel  
Telephone: 202-482-2105 
E-Mail: steel.license@trade.gov  
13 Expected duration of 
licensing procedure  Indefinite  
 
14 A summary of the 
notification in one of the 
WTO official languages   The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) modified  its 
regulations pertaining to the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis 
(SIMA) system to require  steel import license applicants to identify 
the country where the steel used in the manufacture of  the imported 
steel product was melted and poured (the country of melt and pour); 
clarify how  certain import data collected from the licenses will be 
aggregated and reported on the public  SIMA monitor; expand the 
scope of steel products subject to the SIMA licensing  requirement  to 
an additional eight tariff lines (at the ten -digit level) ; extend the 
SIMA system  indefinitely by eliminating the regulatory provision 
concerning the duration of the SIMA system;  and codify eligibility for 
use of the low -value license for certa in steel entries up to $5,000. 
In addition, Commerce made corresponding changes to the public 
SIMA monitor that did not require regulatory modifications and 
amended  the steel import license application to include a  new field 
for the country of melt and pou r. Finally, Commerce modernized the 
SIMA system, including both the online license application platform 
and the public SIMA monitor.  
15 In the case of 7(b), please 
indicate the type of new 
change(s)  (a)  Termination  
(b)  Suspension  
(c)  Modification of specific details in existing  
procedures:  
 Product coverage;  
 Administrative purpose;  
 Automatic or Non -automatic;  
 Duration of licensing;  
 Change the nature of quantity/value restriction;  
 Eligibility of applicants;  
 Contact information on  eligibility;  
 Administrative body(ies) for submission of application;  
 Documentation requirements (including application form);  
 Period for Application;  
 Administrative body(ies) to issue licence;  
 Processing time for issuing licence;  
 Licence fee/administrative charge;  
 Deposit/advance payment and relevant conditions;  
 Appeal regulations/procedures;  
 Validity of licence;  
 Other conditions of licence (extension, transferability, 
penalty of non -use etc.);  
 Foreign exchange requirements;  
 Other: Codify expanded eligibility for low -value license; 
clarify administrative use of collected license data; 
modernize license system . 
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   Category  Notification details  
16  Please elaborate the 
changes in detail (in one 
of the WTO official 
languages)  
 On 11 September 2020, Commerce published a final rule (85 FR 
56162) codifying changes to its steel import licensing system with an 
effective date of 13 October 2020. In t he final rule, Commerce 
modif ied its regulations pertaining to the Steel Import Monitoring and 
Analysis (SIMA)  licensing  system to require steel import license 
applicants to identify the country where the steel used in the 
manufacture of the imported steel product was melted and poured 
(the country of melt and pour); expand  the scope of steel products 
subject to the SIMA licensing requirement to an additional eight tariff 
lines (at the ten -digit level) ; extend the SIMA system indefinitely by 
eliminating the regulatory provision concerning  the duration of the 
SIMA system; and codify eligibility for use of the low -value license for 
certain steel entries up to $5,000.  Each change is further explained 
below.   
First, to enhance U.S. Government monitoring and analysis of steel 
imports, Commerce amended  the SIMA system to require 
identification of the country where the steel used in the manufacture 
of the imported steel product is melted and poured on the license 
form as an additional requirement to obtain an import license. This is 
also referred to as the "country of melt and pour. " This field applies 
to the original location where the raw steel is:  
(A)  First produced in a steel -making furnace in a liquid state; and 
then;  
(B)  Poured into its first solid shape .  
The first solid state can take the form of either a semi -finished 
product (slab, billets or ingots) or a finished steel mill product. 
The location of melt and pour is customarily identified on mill test 
certificates that are commonplace in steel production, generated at 
each stage of the production process, and maintained in the ordinary 
course of business. These  reporting requirement s do not apply to raw 
materials used in the steel manufacturing process (i.e.,  steel scrap; 
iron ore; pig iron; reduced, processed, or pelletized iron ore; or raw 
alloys).  
Second , Commerce expanded  the scope of steel products covered by 
the SIMA system so that it covers an additional eight HTS codes (at 
the ten -digit level) . A list of the products covered by the modified 
SIMA system by Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes can be 
obtained on the SIMA system website. Commerce amended  its 
regulation § 360.101(a) to indicate that the products covered by the 
SIMA system are listed on the website and identified by HTS codes. 
The HTS codes, which are maintaine d by the U.S. International Trade 
Commission, may be updated periodically to reflect revisions to the 
codes.  The list of currently covered HTS codes is available at: 
https://www.trade.gov/steel -products -hts-codes . 
Third, Commerce extended  the SIMA system indefinitely by 
eliminating the regulatory provision, §  360.105, that had  made the 
SIMA system temporary. In the past, Commerce considered whether 
to extend the SIMA system every four years, which was done under 
the authority of the Census Act ( 13 U.S.C. 301 (a) and 302). 
Although , under its last extension,  the SIMA system was not set to 
expire until 21 March 2022, Commerce extended  the system 
indefinitely given that the program is a well -established and 
important trade monit oring tool that has strong support from the 
trade community over its near -twenty -year history.   
Fourth , Commerce amended its regulation  § 360.103(f) to codify 
eligibility for use of a low-value license for certain steel entries from a 
$250 value to a $5,00 0 value , to align with current practice. The low -
value license is an optional multiple -use license that allows a 
company to apply once for a steel import license and use it on 
multiple occasions for entries of covered steel products with a limited 
customs value. A re -usable low -value license number can be obtained 
with respect to an entry for which the portion covered by the steel  G/LIC/N/2/USA/4  
 
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   Category  Notification details  
  licensing requirement is less than the limited amount and may be 
used by those companies listed on the license. The low -value license 
is processed on the SIMA system website in the same manner as a 
typical steel license. Commerce's low -value license applic ation form 
already provide d that such a license may apply to covered steel 
products with a value of $5,000 or less per entry. Accordingly, 
Commerce made  conforming edits to §  360.103(f) to reflect this 
requirement.  
Finally, Commerce modernized  the SIMA sys tem, including both the 
online license application platform and the public SIMA monitor, with 
updated software. Registered users on the existing  SIMA system 
must re -register on the new SIMA system to use the new online 
license application platform.  In addi tion, Commerce made 
corresponding changes to the public SIMA monitor that did not 
require regulatory modifications.  
 
 
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