Changes in Procedures for Florence Agreement Program

The International Trade Administration and U.S. Court of Law amended the regulations which govern duty-free entry of scientific instruments and apparatus, by educational and nonprofit institutions, into the United States. The amendments make the technical changes required by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and by the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 1999. In addition this rule revises the regulations to specify the correct court of review, to use terminology consistent with accepted metric units, to extend the waiver for repair components to maintenance tools as well, to simplify and clarify the regulations for applicants by clarifying the commercial use provisions and by removing redundant requirements, to add information about procedures for obtaining duty refunds, to reduce the number of copies required for resubmitted applications and to permit performance data obtained in tests or trials as evidence of guaranteed specifications.