The NCBFAA and the AfA have commented on the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for the Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) program. These comments are the culmination of NCBFAA and AfA's years spent in on-going discussions with the TSA, CBP and the air cargo transportation community, as well as with their members who participated in the ACAS program.

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has created a new product code for low risk devices promoted as general wellness products. Product code 80PWC is now available for import use only. This product code should not be used for FDA device registration purposes under any circumstances.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have announced that effective October 1st, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) will increase by 4.886 percent to adjust for inflation. Fees affected by this increase include:

On Thursday of last week, the Senate voted unanimously to pass the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act. This bill is an amended version of the document that passed in the House earlier this year. The items that were removed from the original bill are propargyl butylcarbamate, esfenvalerate, collapsible insulated food and beverage bags, rotary hand cutting tools, full tang knives, electric commercial vehicles, and cabs and bodies for electric vehicles. The original bill, with its over 1700 duty suspensions or reductions on imported products not produced in the U.S., can be found here.

Butch Connor of John S. Connor, Baltimore, spoke before the House Port Caucus on Wednesday, July 18th, representing NCBFAA in describing the value of the customs broker, freight forwarder and NVO to the U.S. economy.

The NCBFAA Board of Directors would like to acknowledge the following 18 new members approved at the June 23 meeting in Washington, D.C.

Last Monday, Mary Jo Muoio (Chair of NCBFAA's Customs Committee) and Jon Kent (Counsel) met with a group assembled by John Leonard from the Office of Trade and OFO to discuss the Association's punch list of functionalities missing from core ACE. For well over a year, NCBFAA has engaged in discussion about such issues as AII, the House Airway Bill, de minimis and approximately two dozen functions that our members felt essential to the needs of the industry.

On July 6th, after the additional 25% tariffs on over $34 billion of Chinese goods went into effect, China reacted by enacting additional tariffs of 25% on over 545 products originating from the United States, also valued at $34 billion. These tariffs cover commodities such as agricultural products such as beef and dairy, automobiles and aquatic goods. Additionally, China plans to enact additional tariffs on 114 products originating from the United States, valued at $16 billion should the U.S. enact additional tariffs. These commodities include chemical products, medical equipment and energy products.

Beginning last Friday, the European Union (EU) has started charging import duties of 25 percent on a range of U.S. products as retaliation to the U.S. imposed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum earlier this month. This list of products includes home appliances, motor vehicles, household articles, apparel and footwear, textiles and fabrics, whisky, tobacco products and more. All told, these duties equate to approximately $3.2 billion of U.S. goods.

The White House officially announced that retaliatory tariffs will be imposed on 818 HTS lines, with collection of the additional 25% duties beginning July 6. At the same time, an additional 284 tariff lines are being proposed, but will first undergo a public comment process. The targeted products fall primarily in aerospace, automobile, industrial machinery, information technology and robotics industries. The U.S. Trade Representative announced it will establish a process for U.S. companies to request exclusion from the tariffs on specific products if no alternative supplier exists.

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.