CLA-2 CO:R:C:G 083685 CMR

Tariff No: HTSUS 6209.30.3030; 6209.20.5045


Martin Lewin, Esq.
Mudge, Rose, Guthrie, Alexander & Ferdon
2121 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037

RE: Reconsideration of New York Ruling Letter (NYRL) 831857 and NYRL 831858

Dear Mr. Lewin:

This ruling is in response to your letter of January 18, 1989, on behalf of the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA), requesting reconsideration of NYRL 831857 of September 14, 1988, and NYRL 831858 of September 21, 1988, regarding the classification of infants' sets comprised of components of different textile materials.

FACTS:

NYRL 831857 and NYRL 831858 each involve the classification of an infant girls' woven set. The set in NYRL 831837 consists of a shirt of 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton, and a jumper of 100 percent cotton corduroy. In NYRL 831858, the set consists of a shirt of 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton, and a footed overall of 100 percent cotton corduroy. The shirts were classified in subheading 6209.30.3030, HTSUSA, which provides for babies' garments and clothing accessories, of synthetic fibers, other, other, imported as parts of sets. The jumper and footed overall were classified in 6209.20.5045, HTSUSA, which provides for babies' garments and clothing accessories, of cotton, other, other, other, imported as parts of sets.

In your letter of January 18, 1989, you state your belief that these garments should be classified as sets on the basis of the material of chief weight of the combined garments. Referring to Additional U.S. Note 1 to Chapter 62 which defines the term "sets" as

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used in heading 6209, you state that classification of infants' sets as you request would be consistent with the practice followed under the Tariff Schedules of the United States Annotated (TSUSA). Addi- tionally, you review the history of the formulation of Additional U.S. Note 1. Furthermore, you state that "there is nothing in the heading or section or chapter notes which requires separate classi- fication of the components of infants' sets comprised exclusively of woven garments or exclusively of knit garments because of differences in textile materials."

ISSUE:

Are infants' sets classified as "sets" according to the textile material in chief weight of the combined components; or, are the components separately classified as "imported as parts of sets" according to the textile material in chief weight of each component?

LAW AND ANALYSIS:

Your argument relies heavily on application of Additional U.S. Note 1 to Chapter 62. You argue that this note establishes sets as a separate product and as such they must be classified as a single product. U.S. Note 1 states:

For the purpose of heading 6209, the term "sets" means two or more different garments of headings 6111, 6209 or 6505 imported together, of corresponding sizes and intended to be worn together by the same person.

Classification of goods through the six digit (international subdivision) level is accomplished by application of the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI) and relative section and chapter notes. Additional U.S. Note 1 to Chapter 62 does not become applicable until the eight digit level of the HTSUSA.

GRI 6 provides :

For legal purposes, the classification of goods in the subheadings of a heading shall be determined according to the terms of those subheadings and any related subheading notes, and mutatis mutandis, to the above rules, on the understanding that only subheadings at the same level are comparable. For the purposes of the rule the relative section and chapter notes also apply unless the context otherwise requires.

GRI 6 thus incorporates GRIs 1 through 5, as well as the relative section and chapter notes, in classifying goods at the subheading level.

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Note 13, Section XI, requires textile garments of different headings be separately classified in their own headings even if put up in sets for retail sale unless the context otherwise requires. The shirts and bottoms in these cases fall under the same heading, 6209. Applying GRI 6 and following note 13, the shirts and bottoms in these cases are separately classified because they fall under different subheadings. The shirts are classifiable under subheading 6209.20, which provides for babies' garments and clothing accessories of cotton. The jumper and footed overall are classifiable under subheading 6209.30, which provides for babies' garments and clothing accessories of synthetic fibers. At this point, the international divisions of the HTSUSA end.

The additional U.S. notes become applicable at the eight digit level or U.S. subdivision of the international subheadings. Addi- tional U.S. Note 1 to Chapter 62 simply defines the term "sets" as used in heading 6209. Customs does not disagree that the garments in question create sets as defined in the U.S. Note. In fact, each garment is classified as "imported as parts of sets." However, in order to be classified in the statistical provision for sets, each garment of the set must be classifiable under the same six and eight digit subheading.

While your review of the history of Additional U.S. Note 1 is enlightening, Customs must apply the terms of the HTSUSA as stated. Only in circumstances of ambiguity is reliance upon historical development in order. Further, as you recognized, treatment of goods under the TSUSA is not dispositive of the classification of the same goods under the HTSUSA. The HTSUSA is a new tariff schedule and some changes in classification of certain goods are to be expected.

HOLDING:

We affirm the decisions in NYRL 831857 and NYRL 831858.


Sincerely,

John Durant, Director
Commercial Rulings Division

6cc: Area Director, New York Seaport
1cc: CITA
1cc: Legal Reference Section
1cc: Phil Robins