Monday Morning eBriefing

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) posted a notice that it will hold its next Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) quarterly meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, from 1-5 p.m. ET, in Washington, D.C. The meeting will be open to the public via webinar only.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 29 provided notice to ACE filers who are approved to participate in Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) that they can pay duties for shipments entered or released during the previous calendar month.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Dec. 23 announced a dramatic expansion of its import enforcement capability during a visit to the Port of L.A./Long Beach.

A summary of the latest customs and cross-border trade regulatory updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Customs Counsel firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg.

Customs brokers and seafood importers are scrambling to understand and comply with NOAA Fisheries new Certificate of Admissibility (COA) requirements that begin Jan. 1, 2026. The COA is required on certain seafood shipments from restricted fisheries, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a ban on imports of all new models of foreign-made drones and their critical component parts, due to the "unacceptable risks to national security." The ban will include new models from leading China drone manufacturers, DJI and Autel.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the Area Port of Houston-Galveston notified exporters and freight forwarders of a change in address for submitting vehicle ownership documentation.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a Notice to Importers and Exporters advising that, beginning Jan. 7, 2026, all shipments containing American eel (anguilla rostrata), including parts and products, into or out of the U.S. must be accompanied by the appropriate CITES document (CITES export permit, CITES certificate of origin, or CITES re-export permit).

Starting Jan. 1, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will strictly enforce the ISPM‑15 markings on Wood Packaging Material — including the "hyphen" requirement.

A summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Jan. 2 will enhance the ACE Secure Data Portal to give importers, who are ACE Portal Trade Account Owners (TAOs), the ability to add notify parties, otherwise known as “Special Address Notification (CBP Form 4811) notify parties,” under the Notify Parties tab within the Importer sub-account view.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Dec. 23 issued a notice in which it has determined China’s acts, policies, and practices are actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and an appropriate response includes taking tariff action now on semiconductors from China, with an initial tariff level of 0%, increasing in 18 months on June 23, 2027, to a rate to be announced not fewer than 30 days prior to that date.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said in a statement Dec. 19 that it continues to investigate the regulations or practices imposed by the Government of Spain which directly or indirectly deny certain vessels access to its ports. Vessels denied access in the past include U.S.-flagged vessels operated under the U.S. Maritime Security Program.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., continue to provide our customs broker members with the latest details regarding tariffs, including this Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Chart for Unstacking Certain Tariffs and the latest guidance on the reciprocal tariff reductions for Switzerland and Liechtenstein which are retroactive to Nov. 14. The Committee will continue sending our members Trump Administration tariff updates and subsequent CBP guidance, as soon as received.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries (also known as National Marine Fisheries Service) confirmed in recent webinars that the Certificate of Admissibility (COA) requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) will be required for certain seafood shipments from certain countries with restricted fisheries. There will not be a transition period of soft enforcement, despite the complexity of this new requirement and the confusion surrounding it.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 19 made available for testing in Certification (CERT) Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) an update to the Declared Value and ISO Currency Code fields to be C for Conditional, required for an express bill.

The NCBFAA Board of Directors on Friday, Dec. 19, held a vote to fill two mid-term Officer vacancies, in compliance with association bylaws, Article VIII, Section 5.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome Metro Global USA, TRIO Customs Brokers, and Your Favorite Customs Broker which have recently joined our association. We're so excited to have these firms join our organization and we are happy to assist in any way we can! NCBFAA also acknowledges Regular Member corporate name change for CITTA Brokerage Company CBC, LLC.

A summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025, extending the FMC’s authority and funding through fiscal year 2029. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration and, if enacted, would further strengthen the FMC’s oversight of the international ocean shipping system.