[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 110-112]

 

                        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 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



[[Page 111]]



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.

    (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,



[[Page 112]]



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]