(a) Status determination. After receipt of a post-importation claim under §10.591 of this subpart, the Center director will determine whether the entry covering the good has been liquidated and, if liquidation has taken place, whether the liquidation has become final.

(b) Pending protest or judicial review. If the Center director determines that any protest relating to the good has not been finally decided, the Center director will suspend action on the claim filed under §10.591 of this subpart until the decision on the protest becomes final. If a summons involving the tariff classification or dutiability of the good is filed in the Court of International Trade, the Center director will suspend action on the claim filed under §10.591 of this subpart until judicial review has been completed.

(c) Allowance of claim—(1) Unliquidated entry. If the Center director determines that a claim for a refund filed under §10.591 of this subpart should be allowed and the entry covering the good has not been liquidated, the Center director will take into account the claim for refund in connection with the liquidation of the entry.

(2) Liquidated entry. If the Center director determines that a claim for a refund filed under §10.591 of this subpart should be allowed and the entry covering the good has been liquidated, whether or not the liquidation has become final, the entry must be reliquidated in order to effect a refund of duties under this section. If the entry is otherwise to be reliquidated based on administrative review of a protest or as a result of judicial review, the Center director will reliquidate the entry taking into account the claim for refund under §10.591 of this subpart.

(d) Denial of claim—(1) General. The Center director may deny a claim for a refund filed under §10.591 of this subpart if the claim was not filed timely, if the importer has not complied with the requirements of §§10.588 and 10.591 of this subpart, or if, following an origin verification under §10.616 of this subpart, the Center director determines either that the imported good did not qualify as an originating good at the time of importation or that a basis exists upon which preferential tariff treatment may be denied under §10.616 of this subpart.

(2) Unliquidated entry. If the Center director determines that a claim for a refund filed under this subpart should be denied and the entry covering the good has not been liquidated, the Center director will deny the claim in connection with the liquidation of the entry, and notice of the denial and the reason for the denial will be provided to the importer in writing or via an authorized electronic data interchange system.

(3) Liquidated entry. If the Center director determines that a claim for a refund filed under this subpart should be denied and the entry covering the good has been liquidated, whether or not the liquidation has become final, the claim may be denied without reliquidation of the entry. If the entry is otherwise to be reliquidated based on administrative review of a protest or as a result of judicial review, such reliquidation may include denial of the claim filed under this subpart. In either case, the Center director will provide notice of the denial and the reason for the denial to the importer in writing or via an authorized electronic data interchange system.

[CBP Dec. 08-22, 73 FR 33678, June 13, 2008, as amended by CBP Dec. 10-26, 75 FR 50699, Aug. 17, 2010]