---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 3011"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "3011"
heading: "Transition to Harmonized Tariff Schedule"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/3011"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Implementation of Harmonized Tariff Schedule"
---

# §3011. Transition to Harmonized Tariff Schedule

- (a) **Existing executive actions—**
  - (1) The appropriate officers of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) Government shall take whatever actions are necessary to conform, to the fullest extent practicable, with the tariff classification system of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule all proclamations, regulations, rulings, notices, findings, determinations, orders, recommendations, and other written actions that—
    - (A) are in effect on the day before January 1, 1989; and
    - (B) contain references to the tariff classification of articles under the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5).
  - (2) Neither the repeal of the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5), nor the failure of any officer of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) Government to make the conforming changes required under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), shall affect to any extent the validity or effect of the proclamation, regulation, ruling, notice, finding, determination, order, recommendation, or other action referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Generalized System of Preferences conversion—**
  - (1) The review of the proposed conversion of the Generalized System of Preferences program to the [Convention](/usc/19/3002.md?p=2) tariff nomenclature, initiated by the Office of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) [Trade Representative](/usc/19/1677.md?p=32) by notice published in the Federal Register on December 8, 1986 (at page 44,163 of volume 51 thereof), shall be treated as satisfying the requirements of sections [2463(a)](/usc/19/2463.md?p=a) and [2464(c)(3)](/usc/19/2464.md) of this title (as in effect on July 31, 1995).
  - (2) In applying [section 2464(c)(1) of this title](/usc/19/2464.md) (as in effect on July 31, 1995) for calendar year 1989, the reference in such section to July 1 shall be treated as a reference to September 1.
- (c) **Import restrictions under Agricultural Adjustment Act—**
  - (1) Whenever the President determines that the conversion of an import restriction proclaimed under section 22 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act ([7 U.S.C. 624](/usc/7/624.md)) from part 3 of the Appendix to the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5) to subchapter IV of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule results in—
    - (A) an article that was previously subject to the restriction being excluded from the restriction; or
    - (B) an article not previously subject to the restriction being included within the restriction;

    the President may proclaim changes in subchapter IV of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to conform that subchapter to the fullest extent possible to part 3 of the Appendix to the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5).

  - (2) Whenever the President determines that the conversion from headnote 2 of subpart A of part 10 of schedule 1 of the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5) to Additional U.S. Note 2, [chapter 17](/usc/19/chch17.md), of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule results in—
    - (A) an article that was previously covered by such headnote being excluded from coverage; or
    - (B) an article not previously covered by such headnote being included in coverage;

    the President may proclaim changes in Additional U.S. Note 2, [chapter 17](/usc/19/chch17.md) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to conform that note to the fullest extent possible to headnote 2 of subpart A of part 10 of schedule 1 of the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5).

  - (3) No change to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule may be proclaimed under paragraph [(1)](#c-1) or [(2)](#c-2) after June 30, 1990.
- (d) **Certain protests and petitions under customs law—**
  - (1)
    - (A) This chapter may not be considered to divest the courts of jurisdiction over—
      - (i) any protest filed under [section 1514 of this title](/usc/19/1514.md); or
      - (ii) any petition by an American manufacturer, producer, or wholesaler under [section 1516 of this title](/usc/19/1516.md);

      covering articles [entered](/usc/19/3002.md?p=3) before January 1, 1989.

    - (B) Nothing in this chapter shall affect the jurisdiction of the courts with respect to articles [entered](/usc/19/3002.md?p=3) after January 1, 1989.
  - (2)
    - (A) If any protest or petition referred to in [paragraph (1)(A)](#d-1-A) is sustained in whole or in part by a final judicial decision, the [entries](/usc/19/1677.md?p=23) subject to that protest or petition and made before January 1, 1989, shall be liquidated or reliquidated, as appropriate, in accordance with such final judicial decision under the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5).
    - (B) At the earliest practicable date after January 1, 1989, the [Commission](/usc/19/3002.md?p=1) shall initiate an investigation under [section 1332 of this title](/usc/19/1332.md) of those final judicial decisions referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A) that—
      - (i) are published during the 2-year period beginning on February 1, 1988; and
      - (ii) would have affected tariff treatment if they had been published during the period of the conversion of the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5) into the format of the [Convention](/usc/19/3002.md?p=2).

      No later than September 1, 1990, the [Commission](/usc/19/3002.md?p=1) shall report the results of the investigation to the President, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Finance, and shall recommend those changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that the [Commission](/usc/19/3002.md?p=1) would have recommended if the final decisions concerned had been made before the conversion into the format of the [Convention](/usc/19/3002.md?p=2) occurred.

  - (3) The President shall review all changes recommended by the [Commission](/usc/19/3002.md?p=1) under [paragraph (2)(B)](#d-2-B) and shall, as soon as practicable, proclaim such of those changes, if any, which he decides are necessary or appropriate to conform such Schedule to the final judicial decisions. Any such change shall be effective with respect to—
    - (A) [entries](/usc/19/1677.md?p=23) made on or after the date of such proclamation; and
    - (B) [entries](/usc/19/1677.md?p=23) made on or after January 1, 1989, if, notwithstanding [section 1514 of this title](/usc/19/1514.md), application for liquidation or reliquidation thereof is made by the importer to the customs officer concerned within 180 days after the effective date of such proclamation.
  - (4) If any protest or petition referred to in [paragraph (1)(A)](#d-1-A) is not sustained in whole or in part by a final judicial decision, the [entries](/usc/19/1677.md?p=23) subject to that petition or protest and made before January 1, 1989, shall be liquidated or reliquidated, as appropriate, in accordance with the final judicial decision under the [old Schedules](/usc/19/3002.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 100–418, title I, § 1211, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1153; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, § 1954(a)(1), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1927.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (c), and (d)(2)(B), (3), is not set out in the Code. See Publication of Harmonized Tariff Schedule note set out under section 1202 of this title.

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle B (§§ 1201–1217) of title I of Pub. L. 100–418, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this subtitle to the Code, see References in Text note set out under section 3001 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–188, § 1954(a)(1), inserted “(as in effect on July 31, 1995)” after “of this title”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 104–188, § 1954(a)(2), inserted “(as in effect on July 31, 1995)” after “of this title”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–188 applicable to articles entered on or after Oct. 1, 1996, with provisions relating to retroactive application, see section 1953 of Pub. L. 104–188, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2461 of this title.

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, see section 1217(b)(2) of Pub. L. 100–418, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.