As an advocate for the entire industry, NCBFAA provides two key resource documents for shippers and freight forwarders that are available to members and non-members alike. NCBFAA’s Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI) Model and the USPPI Responsibility Sheet simplify the reporting process for both shippers and forwarders and help them explain regulations to key partners and industry representatives.

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

Every customs broker knows that interacting with Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) can be the most challenging part of their job. The PGA data requirements are often demanding. And, on top of that, there are just so many agencies! To help sort out this confusion, the NCBFAA Regulatory Agencies Committee (RAC) at the start of this year created a PGA Import Reference Tool which has been posted on the NCBFAA website for our Regular members to use.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided guidance to the import industry on the recent retroactive suspension of Section 201 solar safeguard measures on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (CSPV) and modules originating in Canada and entered on or after February 1, 2022.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is now developing a proposed rule to automate the submission of a Certification of Admissibility (COA). A COA is used to allow entry of otherwise prohibited fish products from certain locations with certain types of fishing gear. To date, NMFS has used its authority one time to restrict fish products from Mexico that were harvested by specified fishing gear in the upper Gulf of California. The COA process in that instance involves paper submissions.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) issued a Federal Register Notice on July 20 announcing new Open General Licenses (OGLs) 1 and 2 that may not directly impact U.S. exports. However, the NCBFAA Export Compliance Subcommittee and counsel are looking into potential scenarios where U.S. exports could be affected.

The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a joint alert to financial institutions on potential evasion attempts of U.S. export controls against Russia and Belarus.

NCBFAA knows that you as our members are doing their best to keep up with their day-to-day businesses under dire supply chain circumstances, and now add on top of all that the recent flurry of U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. What do these sanctions mean to your business (our industry)? Well, it can be an awful lot, depending on whether you work with customers that had export or import business with Russia prior to invasion. That is why NCBFAA is pleased to provide you—our customs broker, freight forwarder, and NVOCC members—with the latest links to these U.S. government guidance documents, as well as Monday Morning eBriefing articles that you might have missed.

NCBFAA is asking all members to send us your questions, experiences, and concerns with the recently implemented Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA 22). Your name and companies will remain confidential during the compilation of this essential feedback. In the interim, we will soon begin sharing the answers to these questions on a rolling basis in the Monday Morning eBriefing. Send your questions and other input to NCBFAA Executive Vice President Megan Montgomery as soon as possible by email at mmontgomery@ncbfaa.org.

The NCBFAA Educational Institute (NEI) invites all global logistics professionals to its 8th Annual Global Trade Educational Conference (G·TEC). This two-day event at the InterContinental Magnificent Mile Hotel in Chicago on Aug. 1-2 will give customs brokers, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, OTI, service providers, importers, exporters, and all global logistics professionals an opportunity to update themselves on industry developments and connect with colleagues new and old

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., have highlighted for our customs broker members the details of the U.S. Russian oil tariff for India and the Aug. 7 implementation of the reciprocal tariffs against a range of country imports, as well as noted the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) related guidance to these tariff actions. In addition, the Committee provided guidance regarding the European Union HTS application of 9903.02.19/9903.02.20.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on July 25 announced that a new treatment recommendation, Shredder-Hammermill, has been added to the list of available treatments in their Treatment Manual to provide an emergency phytosanitary destruction method for dunnage, pallets, wood packaging material (WPM) and other non-compliant wood products.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said it will begin making flagging updates to the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes related to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reflect the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) bi-annual 484(f) changes to the HTS.

In July, NCBFAA reported that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would soon end paper submissions of the Lacey declaration. Now, it is official — APHIS said on Aug. 8 that paper submissions end, starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months — to July 2028. The agency said it remains committed to successful implementation of the full requirements of the final rule, which establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond what is already required in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, import, process, pack, or hold foods found on the Food Traceability List.