Many mistake the ease of importing to mean there is no liability or obligation on the part of the importer. Whether your company is new to importing, or has been in the business for years, CBP expects importers to use “reasonable care” to ensure compliance with relevant rules and regulations. Importers are at risk of being subject to enforcement actions by CBP if they do not comply with the reasonable care standard when importing goods into the U.S. This article provides an overview of CBP’s expectations of an importer and practical advice on what you must have in your import compliance plan ..read more

Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:       Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   CBP releases March 2024 monthly update. Highlights:  Processed more than 2.8 million entry summaries  Identified estimated duties of nearly $6.2 billion to be collected by the U.S. government  Stopped 749 shipments for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor  Seized 1,633 shipments that contained counterfeit goods  CBP’s National Commodity Specialist Division (NCSD) has announced its webin ..read more

____________________________________________________________________ !! UPCOMING False Claims Act Webinar !! Learn how to expose fraud, blow the whistle on unfair competition, and avoid being the target of an FCA investigation May 9, 2024 | 12:00 PM ET Speakers: Jennifer Diaz, President &Dana Watts, Of Counsel, Diaz Trade Law and Jonathan Tycko, Partner, Tycko & Zavareei LLP Register HERE. ____________________________________________________________________ The False Claims Act (FCA) is a powerful federal anti-fraud law that incentivizes average people to expose fraud. The law a ..read more

Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:       Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   CBP warns of an increase in impersonation scams. Bad actors are posing as CBP employees and demanding payment or sensitive information.  The agency advises that if you receive one of these calls, hang up and report the call to the Federal Trade Commission.   CBP said that it was recently notified of a Linux security vulnerability that potentially affects the trade community.  CBP recommends the immediate roll back t ..read more

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) investigates allegations of dumping or unfair foreign subsidies, but they also have the authority to investigate potential violations of any imposed Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) of 2015. Customs describes EAPA as a “multi-party, transparent, administrative proceeding where parties can both participate in and learn the outcome of the investigation. It also maintains due process for parties to the investigation by providing an option for them to request administrative and judicial reviews of CBP’s dete ..read more

Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news:        Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   Operational update for Port of Baltimore: CBP said ocean carriers originally planning to unload at the Port of Baltimore must proceed to another U.S. port in the aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26.  CBP published a federal register notice that makes changes to the Global Entry and SENTRI programs. Highlights:  The Global Entry fee will be increased from $100 to $120  The total SENTRI fee will be dec ..read more

At CBP’s 2024 Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security Summit (“the Summit”) this week, panelists shared some pending developments in Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (“UFLPA”) enforcement. The UFLPA establishes a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods mined, produced, or manufactured, wholly or in part, in the Xinjiang region of China, or produced by an entity on the UFLPA Entity List, is prohibited under U.S. forced labor law. Panelists indicated that “more than 10” new entities would be placed on the Entity List in the coming months. The government has received criticism re ..read more

Foremost, our hearts are with those affected by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. This sobering event serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility inherent in our robust trade and transportation systems. In these trying times, we are deeply grateful for the unsung heroes who tirelessly work behind the scenes, ensuring the continuity of global trade.   Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   CBP released the February 2024 monthly operational update. Highlights:  Processed more than 2.6 million entry summaries  Identified $6.5 billion to be colle ..read more

Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news:               Customs and Border Protection (CBP)   CBP issued cybersecurity incident procedures guidelines for brokers.  The guidance explains the process and roles and responsibilities of CBP and the brokerage community on how to facilitate the importation, entry, and entry summary process, in the event of a cybersecurity incident affecting a broker.   CBP easter egg advisory: CBP reminds the traveling public that cascarones (confet ..read more

Ford Motor Company has agreed to pay $365 million for allegedly misclassifying and understating the value of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. According to the Department of Justice, Ford engaged in a scheme to avoid higher duties by misclassifying cargo vans. Between 2009 and 2013, the company imported Transit Connect cargo vans into the United States but presented them to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with temporary seats and other features to make them appear to be passenger vehicles. The seats were never intended to carry passengers and Ford removed them as part of post-importation ..read more