[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 19, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 19CFR10.39]

[Page 107-109]
 
                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
   CHAPTER I--BUREAU OF CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF 
              HOMELAND SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
 
PART 10_ARTICLES CONDITIONALLY FREE, SUBJECT TO A REDUCED RATE, ETC.
--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Provisions
 
Sec. 10.39  Cancellation of bond charges.

    (a) Charges against bonds taken pursuant to Chapter 98, Subchapter 
XIII, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, (HTSUS), may be 
canceled in the manner prescribed in Sec. 113.55 of this chapter. A 
completed reexportation counterfoil on a carnet establishes that the 
articles covered by the carnet have been exported, and no claim shall be 
brought against the guaranteeing association under the carnet for 
failure to export, except under the provisions of Sec. 114.26 of this 
chapter. In the case of articles entered under subheading 9813.00.30, 
HTSUS, which are destroyed because of their use for the purposes of 
importation, the bond charge shall not be canceled unless there is 
submitted to the port director a certificate of the importer that the 
articles were destroyed during the course of a specifically described 
use, and the port director is satisfied that the articles were so 
destroyed as articles of commerce within the period of time during which 
the articles may remain in the Customs territory of the United States 
under bond (including any lawful extension). Bonds covering articles 
entered under other provisions of law shall not be canceled upon proof 
of destruction, except as provided for in paragraph (c) of this section, 
unless the articles are destroyed under Customs supervision in 
accordance with section 557, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and Sec. 
158.43 of this chapter.
    (b) Where exportation has been made at a port other than the port of 
entry, the bond may be canceled upon the certificate of lading received 
from the port of exportation, showing that such exportation was made 
within the period of time during which the articles may remain in the 
Customs territory of the United States under bond. In addition, the port 
director may require the production of a landing certificate signed by a 
revenue officer of the country to which the merchandise is exported.
    (c) When articles entered temporarily free of duty under bond are 
destroyed within the bond period by death, accidental fire, or other 
casualty, petition for relief from liability under the bond shall be 
made to the United States Customs Service. The petition shall be 
accompanied by a statement of the importer, or other person having 
knowledge of the facts, setting forth the circumstances of the 
destruction of the articles.
    (d)(1) If any article entered under Chapter 98, subchapter XIII, 
HTSUS, except those entered under a carnet, has not been exported or 
destroyed in

[[Page 108]]

accordance with the regulations in this part within the period of time 
during which the articles may remain in the Customs territory of the 
United States under bond (including any lawful extension), the Fines, 
Penalties, and Forfeitures Officer shall make a demand in writing under 
the bond for the payment of liquidated damages equal to double the 
estimated duties applicable to such entry, unless a different amount is 
prescribed by Sec. 10.31(f). The demand shall include a statement that 
a written petition for relief from the payment of the full liquidated 
damages may be filed with the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures Officer 
within 60 days after the date of the demand. For purposes of this 
section, the term estimated duties shall include any merchandise 
processing fees applicable to such entry.
    (2) If articles entered under a carnet have not been exported or 
destroyed in accordance with the regulations in this part within the 
carnet period, the port director shall promptly after expiration of that 
period make demand in writing upon the importer and guaranteeing 
association for the payment of liquidated damages in the amount of 110 
percent of the estimated duties on the articles not exported or 
destroyed. The guaranteeing association shall have a period of 6 months 
from the date of claim in which to furnish proof of the exportation or 
destruction of the articles under conditions set forth in the Convention 
or Agreement under which the carnet is issued. If such proof is not 
furnished within the 6-month period, the guaranteeing association shall 
forthwith pay the liquidated damages provided for above. The payment 
shall be refunded if the guaranteeing association within 3 months from 
the date of payment furnishes the proof referred to above. No claim for 
payment under a carnet covering a temporary importation may be made 
against the guaranteeing association more than 1 year after the 
expiration of the period for which the carnet was valid.
    (3) Demand for return to Customs custody. When the demand for return 
to Customs custody is made in the case of merchandise entered under 
Chapter 98, subchapter XIII, HTSUS (19 U.S.C. 1202), liquidated damages 
in an amount equal to double the estimated duties on the merchandise not 
returned shall be demanded, except that in the case of samples solely 
for use in taking orders, motion-picture advertising films, professional 
equipment, tools of trade, and repair components for professional 
equipment and tools of trade, the liquidated damages demanded shall be 
in an amount equal to 110 percent of the estimated duties.
    (e) If there has been a default with respect to any or all of the 
articles covered by the bond and a written petition for relief is filed 
as provided in part 172 of this chapter, it will be reviewed by the 
Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures Officer having jurisdiction in the 
port where the entry was filed. If the Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures 
Officer is satisfied that the importation was properly entered under 
Chapter 98, subchapter XIII, and that there was no intent to defraud the 
revenue or delay the payment of duty, the Fines, Penalties, and 
Forfeitures Officer may cancel the liability for the payment of 
liquidated damages in any case in his or her delegated authority as 
follows:
    (1) If evidence is furnished which satisfies the Fines, Penalties, 
and Forfeitures Officer that the article would have been entitled to 
free entry as domestic products exported and returned had the evidence 
been furnished at the time of entry, without the collection of 
liquidated damages.
    (2) If the article has been exported or destroyed under Customs 
supervision but not within the period of time during which the articles 
may remain in the Customs territory of the United States under bond, 
upon the payment of such lesser amount as the port director may deem 
appropriate under the law and in view of the circumstances, or without 
the collection of liquidated damages if the Fines, Penalties, and 
Forfeitures Officer is satisfied that the delay in exportation or 
destruction was for the benefit of the United States or was occasioned 
wholly by circumstances reasonably beyond the control of the parties 
concerned and which could not have been anticipated by a reasonably 
prudent person.

[[Page 109]]

    (3) If the article was exported or destroyed within the period of 
time during which the articles may remain in the Customs territory of 
the United States under bond but not under Customs supervision and 
satisfactory documentary evidence of actual exportation, such as a 
foreign landing certificate, or of death or other complete destruction, 
such as a veterinarian's certificate or certificates of two 
disinterested witnesses, are furnished together with a complete 
explanation by the applicant of the failure to obtain Customs 
supervision, upon the payment of such lesser amount as the Fines, 
Penalties, and Forfeitures Officer may deem appropriate under the law 
and in view of the circumstances, or without the collection of 
liquidated damages if the port director is satisfied that the 
merchandise was destroyed under circumstances which precluded any 
arrangement to obtain Customs supervision. Satisfactory documentary 
evidence of exportation, in the case of carnets, would include the 
particulars regarding importation or reimportation entered in the carnet 
by the Customs authorities of another contracting party, or a 
certificate with respect to importation or reimportation issued by those 
authorities, based on the particulars shown on a voucher which was 
detached from the carnet on importation or reimportation into their 
territory, provided it is shown that the importation or reimportation 
took place after the exportation which it is intended to establish.
    (4) Upon the payment of an amount equal to double the duty which 
would have accrued on the articles had they been entered under an 
ordinary consumption entry, or equal to 110 percent of such duties where 
that percentage is prescribed in Sec. 10.31(f), if such amount is 
determined to be less than the full amount of the bond.
    (f) Anticipatory breach. If an importer anticipates that the 
merchandise entered under a Temporary Importation Bond will not be 
exported or destroyed in accordance with the terms of the bond, the 
importer may indicate to Customs in writing before the bond period has 
expired of the anticipatory breach. At the time of written notification 
of the breach, the importer shall pay to Customs the full amount of 
liquidated damages that would be assessed at the time of breach of the 
bond, and the entry will be closed. The importer shall notify the surety 
in writing of the breach and payment. By this payment, the importer 
waives his right to receive a notice of claim for liquidated damages as 
required by Sec. 172.1(a) of this chapter.
    (g) If the petitioner is not satisfied with the port director's 
action under this section and submits a supplemental petition, both the 
original and the supplemental petitions shall be transmitted to the 
designated Headquarters official with a full report on the case.

[28 FR 14663, Dec. 31, 1963, as amended by T.D. 69-146, 34 FR 9799, June 
25, 1969; T.D. 70-249, 35 FR 18265, Dec. 1, 1970; T.D. 71-70, 36 FR 
4485, Mar. 6, 1971; T.D. 73-308, 38 FR 30549, Nov. 6, 1973; T.D. 74-227, 
39 FR 32015, Sept. 4, 1974; T.D. 75-36, 40 FR 5146, Feb. 4, 1975; T.D. 
84-213, 49 FR 41165, Oct. 19, 1984; T.D. 89-1, 53 FR 51249, Dec. 21, 
1988; T.D. 91-71, 56 FR 40779, Aug. 16, 1991; T.D. 95-22, 60 FR 14632, 
Mar. 20, 1995; T.D. 98-10, 63 FR 4167, Jan. 28, 1998; T.D. 99-27, 64 FR 
13675, Mar. 22, 1999; T.D. 00-57, 65 FR 53574, Sept. 5, 2000]