We want to thank everyone for their attendance and participation in this year's Government Affairs Conference! With 27 First Timers and approximately 172 attendees, we had a wonderful turnout. We understand that your attendance at this conference takes away from your time in the office and from home; that effort and sacrifice does not go unnoticed!

At a recent Board of Directors meeting, NCBFAA leadership discussed the need to have an accurate member count for our advocacy efforts, which amplifies our reach within the industry and on Capitol Hill. We are asking members to help support this effort by logging into your account and updating both your employee roster and reviewing your total employee count. We very much want to be able to tell Capitol Hill and the Government Agencies with which we engage the full story of our membership depth and breadth.

On September 13, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced that the Commission is seeking public comments on "its interpretation of the Shipping Act prohibition against failing to establish, observe, and enforce just and reasonable regulations and practices relating to or connected with receiving, handling, storing, or delivering property with respect to demurrage and detention. Specifically, the Commission is providing guidance as to what it will consider in assessing whether a demurrage or detention practice is unjust or unreasonable."

Two recent Headquarters' rulings have addressed the impact of China Section 301 duties on tool kits classifiable under subheading 8206.00.00, HTSUS. In the rulings, HQ H304235 (July 30, 2019) and HQ H301769 (April 10, 2019), Customs determined that such tool kits are subject to a double hit of China Section 301 duties.

Long-time lobbyist for the NCBFAA, Jon Kent has announced that he will retire before the end of the year. Jon has served the NCBFAA and our members for the better part of 40 years, and his presence, guidance and expertise will be greatly missed.

On Friday of last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in response to China's announcement of additional tariffs on $75 billion worth of American Goods, said that the United States would increase existing tariffs on Chinese goods by 5%. According to the release, For the 25% tariffs on approximately $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, USTR will begin the process of increasing the tariff rate to 30%, effective October 1 following a notice and comment period. For the 10% tariffs on approximately $300 billion worth of Chinese imports that the President announced earlier this month, the tariffs will now be 15%, effective on the already scheduled dates for tariff increases on these imports.

In the August 14 edition of the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule amending Section 116 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (TFTEA) that would establish identity collection criteria and create a required verification process of the importer and nonresident importer client. CBP is requiring all brokers obtain, at a minimum, the following information from their clients:

Announced via CSMS on August 7, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released instructions for how to submit entries that contain products granted exclusions from Section 302 duties. Instructions for submission are as follows:

NCBFAA submitted comments last week in response to a July 10 Federal Register notice asking for comments on ways to combat counterfeit and pirated goods trafficking, particularly in e-commerce. The notice is part of an interagency review pursuant to the President's April 3, 2019, Memorandum on Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods.

On July 22, the NCBFAA filed comments on the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) interim final rule that makes changes to the agency's Reporting, Procedures and Penalties Regulations.

President Trump announced on Friday, Aug. 22, that his administration has initiated an investigation into furniture imports, with the possibility of imposing tariffs on these products later this year.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will hold its next Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C., from 1-5 p.m. ET on Sept. 17. The meeting will be open to the public via webinar only, the agency said.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 21 updated its IEEPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify the unstacking provisions. Specifically, under “IEEPA Overarching,” see the question, “What are the current unstacking provisions?”

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., will continue to track the imposition of additional Section 232 tariffs on U.S. imports aluminum and steel derivatives, watch progress of the U.S. and European Union trade framework agreement announced on Aug. 21, and monitor the Canadian government’s commitment to end certain retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods by Sept. 1.

Customs and Border Protection said recent unannounced visits at Customs Bonded Facilities (CBF) have yielded numerous cases of violations. The agency reminds CBF operators of authorities that CBP Port Directors may exercise in cases of violations.

President Trump announced on Friday, Aug. 22, that his administration has initiated an investigation into furniture imports, with the possibility of imposing tariffs on these products later this year.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will hold its next Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C., from 1-5 p.m. ET on Sept. 17. The meeting will be open to the public via webinar only, the agency said.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 21 updated its IEEPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify the unstacking provisions. Specifically, under “IEEPA Overarching,” see the question, “What are the current unstacking provisions?”

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., will continue to track the imposition of additional Section 232 tariffs on U.S. imports aluminum and steel derivatives, watch progress of the U.S. and European Union trade framework agreement announced on Aug. 21, and monitor the Canadian government’s commitment to end certain retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods by Sept. 1.

Customs and Border Protection said recent unannounced visits at Customs Bonded Facilities (CBF) have yielded numerous cases of violations. The agency reminds CBF operators of authorities that CBP Port Directors may exercise in cases of violations.

President Trump announced on Friday, Aug. 22, that his administration has initiated an investigation into furniture imports, with the possibility of imposing tariffs on these products later this year.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will hold its next Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C., from 1-5 p.m. ET on Sept. 17. The meeting will be open to the public via webinar only, the agency said.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 21 updated its IEEPA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify the unstacking provisions. Specifically, under “IEEPA Overarching,” see the question, “What are the current unstacking provisions?”

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., will continue to track the imposition of additional Section 232 tariffs on U.S. imports aluminum and steel derivatives, watch progress of the U.S. and European Union trade framework agreement announced on Aug. 21, and monitor the Canadian government’s commitment to end certain retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods by Sept. 1.

Customs and Border Protection said recent unannounced visits at Customs Bonded Facilities (CBF) have yielded numerous cases of violations. The agency reminds CBF operators of authorities that CBP Port Directors may exercise in cases of violations.