(a) General. This section sets forth the rules which apply for purposes of obtaining duty-free treatment on goods returned after repair or alteration in a Party as provided for in subheadings 9802.00.40 and 9802.00.50, HTSUS. Goods returned after having been repaired or altered in a Party, whether or not pursuant to a warranty, are eligible for duty-free treatment, provided that the requirements of this section are met. For purposes of this section, “repairs or alterations” means restoration, addition, renovation, re-dyeing, cleaning, re-sterilizing, or other treatment that does not destroy the essential characteristics of, or create a new or commercially different good from, the good exported from the United States.

(b) Goods not eligible for duty-free treatment after repair or alteration. The duty-free treatment referred to in paragraph (a) of this section will not apply to goods which, in their condition as exported from the United States to a Party, are incomplete for their intended use and for which the processing operation performed in the Party constitutes an operation that is performed as a matter of course in the preparation or manufacture of finished goods.

(c) Documentation. The provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of § 10.8 of this part, relating to the documentary requirements for goods entered under subheading 9802.00.40 or 9802.00.50, HTSUS, will apply in connection with the entry of goods which are returned from a Party after having been exported for repairs or alterations and which are claimed to be duty free.