Country of origin marking of printed material

NY J81843 March 10, 2003 MAR-2-: RR: NC: 2:234 J81843 CATEGORY: Marking Mr. Thomas W. Phalen Vice-President – Tax & Customs Plantronics, Inc. 345 Encinal Street, P.O. Box 635 Santa Cruz, California RE: Country of origin marking of printed material Dear Mr. Phalen: In your letter dated February 26, 2003, you requested a U.S. Customs Service Ruling pertaining to marking printed material shipped with telephone headsets. You advise that Plantronics, Inc., manufactures telephone headsets and accessories, which are sold at wholesale and retail. On each product and box there is a label that states the country of origin of each product in accordance with the marking requirements set forth by U.S. Customs. Each product has an instruction sheet or owners manual enclosed inside the packaged product. Plantronics telephone headsets are manufactured in Mexico where the products are packaged, with the literature enclosed, for shipment to the United States. The products and boxes all contain the words “Made in Mexico”. The literature enclosed with the product in the packaging may be printed in the United States, Mexico, or some other country. It is your opinion that the worlds: “Printed in……” do not have to be placed on the literature packed with the product that is properly marked with the country of origin. Such literature which is the product of the United States, exported and returned without having been substantially transformed in Mexico, is excepted from the general country of origin marking requirements. See 19 C.F.R. Section 134.32(m). It does not have to be marked, although Customs has no objection to it being marked, “Printed in U.S.A.” Customs will require that such literature, printed in Mexico or some other country, be suitably marked to indicate its country of origin. See, HQ 953916, June 11, 1993, citing prior rulings which held certain printed instruction sheets and other included printed matter from Canada to be subject to such marking. This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177). A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Carl Abramowitz at 646-733-3037. Sincerely, Robert B. Swierupski Director, National Commodity Specialist Division