The NCBFAA has relayed the issues our members are experiencing to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in regard to their practice of voiding inactive importer numbers. CBP has acknowledged that their scope was a bit broad and have put a temporary halt to the process. They are currently reevaluating the process and may expand the period. CBP expects to relaunch the program at the beginning of the year with, perhaps, a broader period of 18-24 months. The NCBFAA Customs Committee has received many examples of the challenges experienced during the initial program. We would like to send examples of erroneous voiding, whether the program has too narrow a period, and suggestions to CBP for consideration, as they develop a revised program. If you have any examples or suggestions, please send them to Megan Montgomery and we will incorporate them into a submission to CBP.

In a tour de force of Congressional testifying, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan spoke at length and in great detail about border issues before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Tuesday.

Importers are required to file a certificate advising whether they have entered into an agreement or otherwise has received reimbursement of AD duties. If an importer fails to provide a statement of reimbursement prior to liquidation, CBP will presume reimbursement and double the duties. Blanket certificates for either a 12-month period or the length of the administrative review period are acceptable. An officer of the importer must sign the certificate; a customs broker cannot sign the certificate. The certificate should be filed prior to liquidation although certificates may be presented with a CBP protest to rebut the reimbursement presumption and cancel the doubling of the duties for the failure to submit the certificate.

In order to better serve our members during ACE outages, the NCBFAA has added "Port Downtime Procedures" to its website. Found under the "Publications and Resources" tab, the ACE Downtime Procedures page has lists of specific ports and their guidelines to help facilitate trade efficiently during computer system downtimes.

On November 14, President Trump announced he was appointing Daniel Maffei and Louis Sola as Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Commissioners.

On November 14, President Trump announced he was appointing Daniel Maffei and Louis Sola as Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Commissioners.

Announced via CSMS #18-000663, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released submission instruction guidance on the submission of imports excluded from duties on steel or aluminum products.

On October 30, President Trump issued Presidential Proclamation 9813, which implemented changes to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) by removing the eligibility of certain goods for preferential duty treatment and makes changes to Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classifications. This Proclamation went in to effect on November 1.

In a recent CSMS message (#49876589), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that importers and customs brokers of FDA-regulated products utilize FDA’s Import Trade Auxiliary Communications System (ITACS) for current entry status and to receive FDA Notices electronically. The agency noted an ITACS account is not required to import FDA-regulated products. However, review of documents submitted via ITACS is prioritized over review of documents submitted to FDA via other methods.

Announced via CSMS #18-000631, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released the latest 5106 CBP and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) draft entitled "ACE Draft CATAIR: Importer/Consignee Create/Update." According to the CSMS, the new "5106 CATAIR will be available for testing in the CERTIFICATION environment starting in December 2018."

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.