Eligible articles shall be imported directly from a beneficiary developing country to qualify for treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences. For purposes of §§ 10.171 through 10.178 the words “imported directly” mean:

Direct shipment from the beneficiary country to the United States without passing through the territory of any other country; or

If the shipment is from a beneficiary developing country to the U.S. through the territory of any other country, the merchandise in the shipment does not enter into the commerce of any other country while en route to the U.S., and the invoice, bills of lading, and other shipping documents show the U.S. as the final destination; or

If shipped from the beneficiary developing country to the United States through a free trade zone in a beneficiary developing country, the merchandise shall not enter into the commerce of the country maintaining the free trade zone, and

The eligible articles must not undergo any operation other than:

Sorting, grading, or testing,

Packing, unpacking, changes of packing, decanting or repacking into other containers,

Affixing marks, labels, or other like distinguishing signs on articles or their packing, if incidental to operations allowed under this section, or

Operations necessary to ensure the preservation of merchandise in its condition as introduced into the free trade zone.

Merchandise may be purchased and resold, other than at retail, for export within the free trade zone.

For the purposes of this section, a free trade zone is a predetermined area or region declared and secured by or under governmental authority, where certain operations may be performed with respect to articles, without such articles having entered into the commerce of the country maintaining the free trade zone; or

If the shipment is from any beneficiary developing country to the U.S through the territory of any other country and the invoices and other documents do not show the U.S as the final destination, the articles in the shipment upon arrival in the U.S. are imported directly only if they:

Remained under the control of the customs authority of the intermediate country;

Did not enter into the commerce of the intermediate country except for the purpose of sale other than at retail, and the Center director is satisfied that the importation results from the original commercial transaction between the importer and the producer or the latter's sales agent; and

Were not subjected to operations other than loading and unloading, and other activities necessary to preserve the articles in good condition; or

Shipment to the U.S. from a beneficiary developing country which is a member of an association of countries treated as one country under section 507(2), Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2467(2)), through the territory of a former beneficiary developing country whose designation as a member of the same association for GSP purposes was terminated by the President pursuant to section 502(d), Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2462(d)), provided the articles in the shipment did not enter into the commerce of the former beneficiary developing country except for purposes of performing one or more of the operations specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section and except for purposes of purchase or resale, other than at retail, for export.

The designation of the following countries as members of an association of countries for GSP purposes has been terminated by the President pursuant to section 502(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462(d)):