On March 27, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it would begin requiring Lacey Act declarations for Phase VII as early as spring 2024.  Phase VII includes all remaining non-composite plant products, including wood, wicker, and rattan furniture (chapter 94), cork products (chapter 45), and some essential oils (chapter 33) that haven’t previously required a declaration.

The agency is still determining the complete list of materials and products that comprise Phase VII, and they plan to publish a list of the affected HTS codes in the fall.  Declarations for those product codes would be required six months later.

APHIS states, “Importers of such items who do not currently file a Lacey Act declaration will likely need to file one once APHIS implements Phase VII.  APHIS encourages importers to prepare in advance by becoming familiar with their supply chain and reviewing what information is necessary to file a declaration.”

The eighth and likely final phase will eventually implement Lacey Act requirements for all remaining composite materials, including articles such as particleboard, books, wood pulp, and paper.  APHIS will work toward the final phase once Phase VII implementation is complete.

See APHIS’ Lacey Act page for more information about the Lacey Act and how to comply with the declaration requirements.

DID YOU KNOW?

Deringer is hosting a free “Understanding PGA’s” webinar series each month this year.  Check out our webinar schedule to stay informed about the PGA’s that affect your goods and any important regulatory changes coming up.