Duties to be paid are based on the HTS code, the
Country of Origin and the value of the goods.
Value = Purchase Cost + Assists
Valuation of goods is another complex legal
topic. In the simplest form the value of goods is based on what was
paid for them prior to export but the exception are
many.
Value may be affected by material support
supplied to the exporter (manufacturer, export broker, etc.) like
equipment, tooling, raw stocks, commissions, future payments based
on quota and more. These are referred to as assists.
The government may also have interest in the
relationship of the exporter to the importer i.e. discounts among
friends and family don't count! Reasonable fair market value must
prevail in these situations.
