CSMS 45244051·Operational·December 21, 2020·View on csms.cbp.gov ↗

GUIDANCE: Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Expires effective, December 31, 2020

Plain-English explanation

CSMS 45244051 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin (operational), published on December 21, 2020. It carries the official CBP guidance brokers and importers must follow for the topic — "GUIDANCE: Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Expires effective, December 31, 2020". CSMS messages are the operational layer between Commerce determinations and at-the-border collections: when Commerce publishes a new rate, scope ruling, or instruction, CBP turns it into a CSMS that ACE/ACS systems and brokers act on.

Message body

Full text as published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CSMS #45244051 - GUIDANCE: Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Expires effective, December 31, 2020 U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent this bulletin at 12/21/2020 05:25 PM EST Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS #45244051 - GUIDANCE: Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Expires effective, December 31, 2020 This notice is to inform the Trade that the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), special program indicator (SPI) “A,” “A+,” and “A*”, will expire on December 31, 2020 if no Congressional legislation is passed to renew the program. Until further notice, GSP eligible goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse need to pay “General” (column 1) duty rates effective, January 1, 2021, 12:00 am . U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encourages importers to continue to flag GSP eligible importations with SPI “A” during the lapse, starting January 1, 2021. Importers may not file SPI “A” without paying duties. CBP has programming in place that, in the event that GSP is renewed with a retroactive refund clause, will allow CBP to automate the duty refund process. CBP will continue to allow post-importation GSP claims made via post summary correction (PSC) and protest (19 USC 1514, 19 CFR 174) subsequent to the expiration of GSP, for importations made while GSP was still in effect. CBP will not allow post-importation GSP claims made via PSC or protest subsequent to the expiration of GSP, for importations made subsequent to expiration. Should you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact the Trade Agreement Branch at FTA@cbp.dhs.gov Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page . You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com . This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Customs and Border Protection . Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. Powered by Privacy Policy | Cookie Statement | Help

Frequently asked questions

What is CSMS 45244051?

CSMS 45244051 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin titled "GUIDANCE: Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Expires effective, December 31, 2020". CSMS bulletins are the operational instructions CBP issues to brokers, importers, and ACE filers covering rate changes, system updates, scope guidance, and other day-to-day customs-operations changes.

When was CSMS 45244051 published?

CBP published CSMS 45244051 on December 21, 2020. The bulletin's instructions are typically operative as of the publication date unless the body specifies a different effective date.

Is the CBP CSMS the legally binding instruction?

Yes — for at-the-border filing and entry collection. CSMS messages translate Commerce's Federal Register determinations into operational CBP instructions that ACE/ACS systems and brokers execute. The Federal Register notice is the underlying legal authority; the CSMS is the operational implementation. Both should be read together when reconciling a rate or scope change.

Learn more

Tandom guides relevant to CBP CSMS messages

Subscribe to and triage CBP CSMS messages

How to subscribe to CBP Cargo Systems Messaging Service and triage the messages that change broker filing behavior, without losing the ones that matter.

Open resource

Real-time alerts when a CSMS message changes a duty rate

Set up alerts when a CBP CSMS message changes a duty rate on an HTS code you depend on. Built for brokers, forwarders, and importer compliance teams.