**GSP and the Traveler**

*Bringing in Articles from Developing Countries*

**QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS**

**What is GSP?**

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a system used by many developed countries to help developing nations improve their financial or economic condition through exports. In effect, it provides for the duty-free importation of a wide range of products that would otherwise be subject to customs duty if imported into the United States from non-GSP countries.

**When did GSP go into effect for the United States?**

GSP went into effect on January 1, 1976.  The program has expired on several occasions since that time, most recently on June 30, 1999. President George W. Bush signed the Trade Act of 2002 into law on August 6, 2002. Title XLI of the Act provides for the extension of the

Generalized System of Preferences through December 31, 2006.  However, duty-free treatment for eligible products made in designated sub-Saharan African countries continues through September 30, 2008.

**How is GSP administered?**

The United States Trade Representative in consultation with the Secretary of State administers GSP and the President, under the Trade Act of 1974 as amended, proclaims the duty suspensions. CBP is responsible for verifying eligibility for duty-free entry under GSP.

**What products are eligible?**

Approximately 4,650 items have been designated as eligible for duty-free treatment from beneficiary developing countries. The eligible articles are identified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated and the designated countries are also listed there.

For the traveler's convenience, an advisory list of the most popular tourist items that, in general, have been accorded GSP status is included in this booklet.

**Are certain items excluded?**

Under the Trade Act many items, such as most footwear, most textile articles (including clothing), watches, some electronic products, and certain glass and steel products are specifically excluded from GSP benefits.

**What countries have been designated as Beneficiary Developing Countries?**

Approximately 140 countries and territories have been designated.  Those countries are listed later in this document.

**Are the articles and countries subject to change?**

Yes. Articles may be excluded by Executive Order if it is determined that their importation is harmful to domestic industry. Beneficiary countries may also be excluded from the GSP program at any time, due to other trade considerations. For example, beneficiary countries may graduate from GSP if they become a “high income” country as defined by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.  The President may also withdraw a beneficiary country’s GSP eligibility for other reasons, such as the country begins to give preferential treatment to imports from other developed countries, but not the United States.

In addition, some articles from specified countries may be excluded from GSP treatment, if during the preceding year:

· The level of imports of those articles exceeded a specific dollar limit indexed to the nominal growth of the U.S. gross national product, since 1984.

· That country supplied 50 percent or more of the total U.S. imports of that product.

**How has the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) affected GSP?**

The AGOA amended the GSP to provide for the duty-free treatment of many products if made in designated sub-Saharan African countries. The eligibility criteria for GSP and AGOA substantially overlap, and countries must be GSP eligible in order to receive AGOA’s trade benefits including both expanded GSP and the apparel provisions.  Although GSP eligibility does not imply AGOA eligibility, 45 of the 48 Sub-Saharan African countries are currently GSP eligible. The AGOA went into effect on October 1, 2000, and expires on September 30, 2008. More detailed information may be obtained from the CBP informed compliance publication, *What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: The African Growth and Opportunity Act*. This publication can be found on the CBP website at www.cbp.gov in the Importing and Exporting section.

**Are there any specific requirements or qualifications I must be aware of to be sure an article qualifies for duty-free treatment?**

In order to take advantage of GSP, you must have acquired the eligible article in the same beneficiary country where it was grown, manufactured, or produced. Articles may accompany you or may be shipped from the developing country directly to the United States.

**What forms are required?**

If they are shipped, the goods should be accompanied by the merchant’s invoice. No other forms are necessary unless it is a commercial importation.  

**What about merchandise acquired in duty-free shops?**

Most items purchased in duty-free shops will not be eligible for GSP treatment unless the merchandise was produced in the country in which the duty-free shop is located.

**What about Internal Revenue Service tax?**

Such items as gin, liqueur, perfume, if designated as eligible articles, may be subject to Internal Revenue Service tax despite their GSP status.

**What happens if I thought an article was eligible for duty-free entry and it is not?**

When merchandise claimed to be free of duty under GSP is found to be dutiable, you may include it in your CBP exemption. Articles imported in excess of your exemption will be subject to duty. If you feel your article should have been passed free of duty, you may write to the port director of the CBP port where you entered, giving the information concerning your entry. A determination as to whether you are due a refund will be made.

**Am I still entitled to my basic CBP exemption?**

Yes, as a returning U.S. resident, you may still bring in free of duty $800 worth of articles (fair retail value) acquired abroad in addition to those items covered by GSP. This exemption is $1,600 if you are returning from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam, and $800 if you are returning from certain Caribbean or Andean nations. Remember that all articles acquired abroad, whether free of duty or not, including those entitled to GSP, must be declared to Customs and Border Protection on your return.

Visitors or nonresidents are entitled to bring in articles that are duty-free under GSP in addition to their basic CBP exemption.

**Who should I contact if I have any questions about GSP?**

Contact your nearest Customs and Border Protection office—there are more than 300 ports of entry throughout the United States. The address and telephone number of the nearest CBP office can be found in your local telephone directory on the U.S. Government pages, or on the CBP website at www.cbp.gov under the “ports” button. If you are overseas, the U.S. Embassy or consulate can be of assistance.

General information on the GSP and downloadable guides are available at http://ustr.gov/Trade_Development/Preference_Programs/GSP/Section_Index.html.

**Please Note**

Some products, although entitled to duty-free treatment under GSP, may be restricted or prohibited from entering the United States. For example, endangered species of wildlife and plants and products made from them, are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and are prohibited from being exported or imported. Elephant ivory is also prohibited. Any elephant ivory brought into the United States is subject to seizure. If you are considering purchasing articles made from ivory, skin, fur, etc., please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or your nearest Customs and Border Protection port of entry, in advance of your trip.

This brochure has been prepared to serve only as an advisory guide for the traveling public for entry of non-commercial importations intended for personal use only. More specific and definitive advice in this regard should be obtained from one of the CBP field offices. Please also note that details or requirements for commercial importers are not covered here.

The Customs and Border Protection brochure *Know Before You Go* provides information on CBP clearance, exemptions, and restricted or prohibited items.

Information for commercial importers can be found on the CBP website under the Importing and Exporting section, or in our brochure *Import Requirements*.  *Import Requirements*and*Know before You Go*are available by writing to: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, P.O. Box 7407, Washington, D.C. 20004, or by telephoning 202.354.1000, or toll-free at 1.877.CBP.5511.

**POPULAR TOURIST ITEMS**

This listing is solely an advisory guide to items designated as eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP that may be of interest to travelers for their personal use. **Note that certain items, if from a particular beneficiary country, may be excluded.** Do not hesitate to check with your nearest CBP office, or the American Embassy or consulate in the country you are visiting to verify the GSP status of any article you are considering bringing into the United States.

BASKETS or bags of bamboo, willow, or rattan

CAMERAS, motion-picture and still, lenses, and other photographic equipment

CANDY

CHINAWARE, bone: household ware, and other articles such as vases, statues, and figurines. Non-bone: articles other than household ware (except for non-bone chinaware or subporcelain)

CIGARETTE LIGHTERS, pocket and table

CORK, manufactures of

EARTHENWARE or stoneware except household ware available in sets

FLOWERS, artificial of plastic or feathers

FURNITURE of wood, rattan, or plastic

GAMES, played on boards: chess. Backgammon, darts, Mah-Jongg

GOLF BALLS and EQUIPMENT

JADE, cut but not set for use in jewelry and other articles of jade

JEWELRY of precious stones, or of precious metal set with semi-precious stones, cameos, intaglios, amber, or coral: Silver, chief value, valued not over $18 per dozen. Necklaces and neck chains, almost wholly of gold: except rope from Israel and mixed link

JEWELRY BOXES, unlined

MUSIC BOXES and MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

PAPER, manufactures of

PEARLS, cultured or imitation, loose or temporarily strung and without clasp

PERFUME

PRINTED MATTER

RADIO RECEIVERS, solid state (not for motor vehicles)

RECORDS, phonograph and tapes

SHAVERS, electric

SHELL, manufactures of

SILVER, tableware and flatware

SKIS and SKI EQUIPMENT, ski boots not included

STONES cut but not set, suitable for use in jewelry.  Precious and semi-precious stones including marcasites, coral and cameos

TAPE RECORDERS 

TOILET PREPARATIONS 

TOYS 

WIGS 

WOOD, carvings

**Beneficiary Countries**

**The following independent countries are GSP-eligible beneficiaries:**

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Angola

Argentina

Armenia

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Hercegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Colombia

Comoros

Congo (Brazzaville)

Congo (Kinshasa)

Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire

Croatia

Democratic Republic of The Congo

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador 

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Fiji

Gabon

Gambia, The

Ghana

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

India

Indonesia

Iraq

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kyrgyzstan

Lebanon

Lesotho

Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mauritania

Mauritius

Moldova

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nepal

Niger

Oman

Pakistan

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

St. Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Sao Tome and Principe

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Suriname

Swaziland

Tanzania

Thailand

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Tuvalu

Uganda

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Republic of Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwa****

## Associations of Countries - Treated as One Country for GSP Rule-of-Origin Requirements

**Andean Group (Cartagena Agreement)**

Bolivia

Colombia

Ecuador

Peru

Venezuela

**ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations)**

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Singapore

**CARICOM (Caribbean Common Market except the Bahamas)**

Antigua and Barbuda Grenada St. Kitts and Nevis

Barbados Guyana Saint Lucia

Belize Jamaica Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Dominica Montserrat Trinidad and Tobago

**SADC (Southern African Development Community)**

Botswana

Mauritius 

Tanzania

**WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union)**

BeninBurkina FasoCôte d'IvoireGuinea-BissauMaliNigerSenegalTogo

**The following non-independent countries and territories are GSP-eligible beneficiaries:**

Anguilla

British Indian Ocean Territory

Christmas Island (Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Cook Islands

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

French Polynesia

Gibraltar

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Montserrat

New Caledonia

Niue

Norfolk Island

Pitcairn Islands

Saint Helena

Tokelau

Turks and Caicos Islands

Virgin Islands, British

Wallis and Futuna

West Bank and Gaza Strip

Western Sahara

**The least developed beneficiary developing countries are as follows:**

Angola

Bangladesh

Benin

Bhutan

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Democratic Republic of Congo

Djibouti

Equatorial Guinea

Ethiopia

Gambia, The

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Haiti

Kiribati

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mali

Mozambique

Nepal

Niger

Rwanda

Sao Tome and Principe

Sierra Leone

Somalia

Tanzania

Togo

Tuvalu

Uganda

Vanuatu

Republic of Yemen

Zambia

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Protecting America

CBP Publication No. 0000-0515 Revised April 2005