American Express Co. v. United States

40 Cust. Ct. 704
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedFebruary 27, 1958
DocketReap. Dec. 9086; Entry No. 739086
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 40 Cust. Ct. 704 (American Express Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Express Co. v. United States, 40 Cust. Ct. 704 (cusc 1958).

Opinion

Bao, Judge:

This is an appeal for reappraisement of an importation of matrix board, in sheets measuring 16 or 20 by 24 inches, by 0.65 or 0.80 millimeter. This merchandise was invoiced at 24 cents per square meter, less 15 per centum discount, less 2 per centum for advanced payment. It was entered at reichsmark 0.60 (60 pfennigs) per square meter, net packed, and appraised at reichsmark 0.80 (80 pfennigs) per square meter, less 3 per centum, packed. Apparently, although not specifically so shown, the appraiser’s return of value was made upon the basis of statutory foreign value, as defined in section 402 (c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as originally enacted and in effect at the time of the instant importation. That provision reads as follows:

Fobeign Value. — The foreign value of imported merchandise shall be the market value or the price at the time of exportation of such merchandise to the United States, at which such or similar merchandise is freely offered for sale to all purchasers in the principal markets of the country from which exported, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade, including the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature, and all other costs, charges, and expenses incident to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.

When this case was first submitted for decision, it was the contention of plaintiff that there was no foreign value for such or similar merchandise, and that export value, as defined in section 402 (d) of said act, as represented by the entered value, was the proper value for the instant merchandise. Section 402 (d) provides as follows:

Export Value. — The export value of imported merchandise shall be the market value or the price, at the time of exportation of such merchandise to the United States, at which su.ch or similar merchandise is freely offered for sale to all purchasers in the principal markets of the country from which exported, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade, for exportation to the United States, plus, when not included in such price, the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature, and all other costs, charges, and expenses [706]*706incident to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.

An analysis of the home market situation in Germany, the country of exportation, at the time of exportation of the instant merchandise, as revealed by the oral testimony of Treasury Representative Charles Kruszewski and his report, dated January 21, 1935, with attached exhibits, then indicated that an association or cartel fixed the prices and conditions under which manufacturers of matrix board sold their' products for home consumption; that sales were made to only two classes of purchasers, to wit, dealers and consumers; that dealers received a 15 per centum trade discount from the association pricelist, provided they signed a pledge not to underbid the association’s minimum prices, delivery, and payment terms; and that prices did not vary with the quantities sold.

Upon that record, it was held, in a decision rendered December 4, 1956, 37 Cust. Ct. 585, Reap. Dec. 8707, that the question of usual wholesale quantities was not an issue in the case, and that, therefore, the decision in the case of Brooks Paper Company v. United States, 40 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 38, C. A. D. 495, was not determinative of the questions raised by this appeal.

By virtue of the fact that each category of purchaser was charged a price fixed solely because of his status in the trade, it was further held, under authority of the principle expressed in the case of Glanson & Co. v. United States, 29 Cust. Ct. 508, Reap. Dec. 8182, affirmed in principle, 31 Cust. Ct. 473, A. R. D. 33,. that — .

* * * Neither the price to consumers nor the price to dealers may, therefore, be said to be one freely offered to all purchasers in the principal markets of Germany,-within the intendment of the foreign value provision of the ’tariff law.

Another basis for rejecting home consumption sales as indicative of foreign value, was expressed as follows:

Moreover, since, presumptively, dealers purchase for resale, whereas consumers purchase for their own use and enjoyment, the imposition of terms and conditions upon which resales may be made is, in fact, as urged by plaintiff, “a form of restriction and control which according to settled law deprives the market of that freedom essential to the existence of a dutiable value.” The case of M. V. Jenkins et al. v. United States, 34 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 33, C. A. D. 341, and the authorities relied upon therein, support this proposition.

Insofar as sales for home consumption were concerned, it is thus apparent that the market was neither open nor free, and no one price could be selected as representative of foreign value within the statutory prescription. Nevertheless, it was held that foreign value had not been negatived, for .the reason that the provisions of section 402 (c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, supra, in effect at the time of the instant importation, as interpreted in the case of United States v. Livingston & Southard, Inc., 23 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 214, T. D. 48060, required [707]*707proof with, respect to sales of such or similar merchandise for exportation to countries other than the United States. The record, as originally submitted, was silent in regard to such sales.

Accordingly, an order was entered, setting aside the submission and restoring' the case to the calendar to afford counsel for plaintiff an opportunity to supply such evidence.

The court regrets that, in so acting, an unnecessary burden has been imposed upon plaintiff to obtain, as it did, an affidavit of a representative of the-German manufacturer and exporter of the merchandise at bar.

What was involved in the case of United States v. Livingston & Southard, Inc., supra, was the question of the usual wholesale quantities in which the subject merchandise was sold in the foreign market, and the court held that for the purpose of resolving that question, under section 402 (c), as originally enacted, supra, all unrestricted offers for sale, whether for home consumption or for export to countries other than the United States, ought to be considered. Since usual wholesale quantities derive from the major portion of sales (United States v. M.Minkus, 21 C.C.P. A. (Customs) 382, T.D.46912), it is, of course, understandable, under a statute which did not confine foreign value to sales for home consumption, that all sales in the foreign market would be pertinent; and a failure to offer evidence with respect to sales for exportation to countries other than the United States would constitute an omission in the proof.

Where, however, as in this case, the facts establish a restricted home market, and a lack of a freely offered price to all purchasers in that market, it now seems apparent that evidence with respect to sales for exportation to other foreign countries must be immaterial.

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Related

United States v. American Express Co.
44 Cust. Ct. 779 (U.S. Customs Court, 1960)

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