The NCBFAA Board of Directors would like to acknowledge the following 18 new members approved at the September 10 meeting in Washington, DC.

As a response to the solicitation emails sent to members of NCBFAA by online marketers, we have decided to make changes to our website to deter future incidents from occurring.

Due to the aggressive 2017 hurricane season and concerns expressed by the trade community for businesses managing a transition of the electronic Foreign Trade Zone (e214) through these events, CBP has decided to reschedule the deployment of e214 and Manufacturer ID (MID) creation capabilities. Deployment of these capabilities will move from September 16, 2017 to our next scheduled deployment on December 9, 2017.

After months of hard work and preparation, another successful Government Affairs Conference is in the books. NCBFAA members from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. to engage in political action with their Representatives, learn tips of the trade through a wide range of session topics, and forge relationships with their peers. If you were following along using the Twitter/Facebook hashtag (#NCBFAAGAC17), you saw some of the many highlights our members experienced throughout the conference. If you didn't get a chance to join us, here are a few of the highlights:

CBP will administer the first electronic Customs Broker License Examination on October 25. Interested applicants have until September 22 to register for the upcoming exam. The transition from a written to electronic exam is part of CBP's efforts to modernize trade operations.

One of the FMC Commissioners has approached the NCBFAA seeking information from the members relating to the problems being experienced in making deliveries of U.S. export cargo at west coast terminals. More specifically, it has been reported in the trade press that a number of west coast ports have been reducing delivery windows when cargo can be received at the terminals due to insufficient space, the consequence being that exporters and NVOs are either required to hire extra truckers to ensure that their cargo will move when booked or pay higher freight rates in exchange for longer delivery windows.

With education its tool and advancement its goal, the NEI's Veterans to Trade (V2T) Program has been a life changer for at least one Navy veteran. Future Forwarding Company's Anthony Adams was working in the company's Warehouse Returns Department when the firm's Vice President Pam Brown, one of Veterans 2 Trade's founders, took a moment to discuss the possibility of advancement through education with him and others.

Urged on by shippers and ocean transportation intermediaries and seeing that the FMC was unenthusiastic about a petition for development of a policy directed at demurrage and detention, Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee sent a letter to the FMC encouraging action on the part of the agency but not directing it to a specific result. Unsaid is the fact that Senator Thune comes from an agricultural state reliant on shipping in international commerce.

United States CBP Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan and Director General of Kuwait General Administration of Customs Jamal Al Jalawi have signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) marking a significant milestone in collaboration on security and trade facilitation between the two countries.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is extending provisions to assist U.S. exporters and financial institutions located in those areas of Texas and Louisiana that have been declared federal disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency due to the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

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.