Monday Morning eBriefing

The NCBFAA Regulatory Agencies Committee (RAC) recently met with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials to learn more about their recent outreach tour of local ports and customs broker/freight forwarders. DEA said its efforts are meant to educate the shipping community on the danger presented by imported precursor chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

China is placing new restrictions on fentanyl precursor chemicals exported to North America. The action followed a visit by FBI Director Kash Patel and is intended to stem North American production of fentanyl using the Chinese precursor chemicals.

NCBFAA invites you to participate in its upcoming Exhibitor MarketPlace and Sponsor opportunities during the 53rd NCBFAA Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX, on April 12-15, 2026.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) E-Filing Webinar on Nov. 17 drew a record crowd, with panelists providing thought-provoking information on this complex new regulatory requirement. The webinar was moderated by Michele Pearce of A.N. Deringer, Inc., who serves as NCBFAA Regulatory Agencies Committee (RAC) CPSC Subcommittee Chair, and featured Monica DeMars of C.H. Robinson and Eric Sherman, Director of Customs Compliance for Dollar Tree Stores. All panelists have participated in the voluntary CPSC pilot for over a year and shared the challenges and opportunities for customs brokers and importers.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Nov. 21 announced the addition of qualified parties permitted to pay duties on international mail shipments, following the end of de minimis duty-free status on shipments entering the U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 1 plans to conduct a pilot for asset-based and non-asset-based third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to participate in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Program.

Customs and Border Protection on Nov. 21 published an interim final rule amending regulations pertaining to the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) program to require additional data elements, with the amendments taking effect immediately. The agency said it will accept comments regarding the changes to ACAS through Jan. 20, 2026.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said the agency’s Drawback Specialists and drawback program has successfully transferred from Chicago to the Petroleum, Natural Gas and Mineral Center of Excellence and Expertise in the Houston Field Office for enhanced uniformity and oversight. The move became effective Oct. 6.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Nov. 18 issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against, and will immediately detain, garments, apparel, and textiles manufactured in Mauritius by Firemount Group Ltd., based on information that reasonably indicates forced labor use.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the Port of New York and Newark on Nov. 20 invited the trade to comment on increased container examination services (CES) fees proposed by East Coast CES, Inc.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome Casmar Forwarding and Vantage Point Services 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!

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

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

President Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Nov. 13 affirmed the tariff changes and updates under the U.S.-South Korea Strategic Trade and Investment deal, following their in-person meeting on Oct. 29.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Nov. 14 provided the trade with updated import entry guidance regarding certain exemptions from tariffs for imported agricultural products as part of the Executive Order, “Modifying the Scope of the Reciprocal Tariff with Respect to Certain Agricultural Products."

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., provide our customs broker members with initial details from the White House regarding the reciprocal trade frameworks recently reached by the Trump Administration with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Switzerland.

President Trump on Nov. 14 released an Executive Order which effectively ends reciprocal tariffs for certain agricultural product imports. The order took effect for these now exempted goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 13.

The Committee for the Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules, more commonly known as the “484(f) committee” and consisting of representatives from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Census Bureau, is currently considering the Jan. 1, 2026 484(f) Statistical Reporting Numbers.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 1 will discontinue the use of the Document Image System (DIS) for submitting outbound cargo declarations. This includes the CBP Form 1302A: Cargo Declaration, supplemental form CBP 168, and any associated documents that comprise the outbound cargo manifest.

In April 2024, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued proposed program changes to the Indirect Air Carrier Standard Security Program (IACSSP) and the Certified Cargo Screening Standard Security Program (CCSSSP) under the procedures outlined in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §§1548.7(d) and 1549.7(d), respectively. TSA continues to review and adjudicate the large volume of comments received. However, due to significant industry concern regarding the April 2024 proposals, TSA reissued updated proposed changes to both security programs on Sept. 30, 2025, opening a second round of public comments. While the revised proposals reflect certain adjustments, the changes would still have major operational impacts on freight forwarders that are IACs and IAC-CCSFs.