The ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial agency, updates and publishes the HTS annually, and it posts interim updates throughout the year on its Internet site. Two versions of the document are currently available on the ITC's Internet site at www.usitc.gov/tata/hts.

The first version, the 2004 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSA)- Supplement 1, is applicable from July 1, 2004, through December 31, 2004. It reflects changes made to the HTS as a result of statistical annotations as well as other previously proclaimed modifications.

The second version, the 2005 HTSA, will be applicable as of January 1, 2005. It reflects changes to the HTSA as a result of the new U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which becomes effective on that date, and many other changes that have occurred since the publication of the 2004 HTSA - Supplement 1 in July. A complete listing of changes since July 1, 2004, can be found in the Preface and the Change Record in the new publication.

The 2005 HTSA has been forwarded to the Government Printing Office (GPO) for printing, and the GPO will mail copies when they are available to HTSA subscribers. Others can order printed or CD-ROM copies of the 2005 HTS from the GPO directly (http://bookstore.gpo.gov). The printing and mailing of these documents will take a number of weeks. Any printed supplements to the 2005 HTSA will be included in the GPO annual subscription.

Questions about ordering the publication or subscribing to it should be directed to the GPO. Questions concerning the HTSA and pending changes may be directed to the ITC's Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements at 202-205-3440. Specific questions related to the HTSA or other tariff matters can be directed to http://www.usitc.gov/tata/contact/index.asp.