Articles predominating by weight of metal, described in Sec. 54.5(a) shall be admitted free of duty upon compliance with the following conditions:
(a) There shall be filed in connection with the entry a statement of the importer consistent with the requirements of Sec. 10.134 of this chapter.
(b) If the articles are entered for consumption or warehouse, a bond shall be filed on Customs Form 301, containing the bond conditions set forth in Sec. 113.62 of this chapter. Withdrawals from warehouse shall be made on Customs Form 7501. The liquidation of the consumption or warehouse entry shall be suspended pending proof of use or other disposition of the articles within the time prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section.
(c) Within 3 years from the date of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption, the importer shall submit to the director of the port of entry, a statement from the superintendent or manager of the plant at which the articles were used in remanufacture by melting, or were processed by shredding, shearing, compacting, or similar processing which rendered them fit only for the recovery of the metal content, showing:
(1) The name and location of the plant;
(2) The entry number, date, and port of entry (if the person making the statement is not in possession of this information, a reference to invoices, purchase orders, or other documents which will identify the shipment with the entry may be substituted);
(3) The date or inclusive dates of the remanufacture or processing of the articles; and
(4) A description of the remanufacture or processing in sufficient detail to enable the port director to determine whether it constituted a use in remanufacture by melting, or processing by shredding, shearing, compacting, or similar processing which rendered the articles fit only for the recovery of the metal content. In appropriate cases, the remanufacture or processing of the articles covered by more than one entry may be included in one statement. The statement shall be based on adequate and carefully kept plant and import records which shall be available during normal business hours to any Customs officer. The importer and plant manager shall maintain the import and plant records for 5 years from the date of the related entry of the merchandise. The burden shall be on the importer or plant manager to keep these records so that the claim of actual use can be established readily.
(d) If satisfactory proof of use of the articles in remanufacture by melting, or in processing by shredding, shearing, compacting, or similar processing which rendered them fit only for the recovery of the metal content, is furnished within the prescribed time, the entry shall be liquidated without the assessment of duty on the covered articles. If proof is not filed within 3 years from the date of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption, or the use does not warrant the classification claimed, the entry shall be liquidated without any exemption from duty under subheading 9817.00.80 or 9817.00.90, HTSUS. As used in this section, the phrase ``in connection with the entry'' means any time before liquidation of the entry or within the period during which a reliquidation may be completed (Sec. 113.43(c)). Therefore, a claim for free entry under subheading 9817.00.80 or 9817.00.90, HTSUS, supported by a statement of intent may be filed at any time before liquidation of the entry or within the period during which a valid reliquidation may be completed. (R.S. 251, as amended, secs. 623, as amended, 624, 46 Stat. 759, as amended (19 U.S.C. 66, 1623, 1624)) [T.D. 80-151, 45 FR 38041, June 6, 1980, as amended by T.D. 84-213, 49 FR 41170, Oct. 19, 1984; T.D. 87-75, 52 FR 20067, May 29, 1987; T.D. 89-1, 53 FR 51255, Dec. 21, 1988; T.D. 95-81, 60 FR 52295, Oct. 6, 1995]