Complying with export regulations can be hard!  Knowing where to find the regulations, how to interpret them and apply them to your business in a constantly dynamic and changing environment is challenging to say the least; not to mention that regulations are not static.  This means what was okay last week, may not be okay... The post Export Compliance Pitfalls appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

In 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, “… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. Nothing rings truer than when you are trying to import merchandise from another country. If you don’t get all the elements correct for an import entry, you might... The post The One about Value, Duty and Fines… appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

This past July, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) recently issued guidance on addressing export diversion risks. (Diversion risk refers to the potential for items, technology, or services to be redirected or transferred to unauthorized end-users or end-uses, which can violate export control laws and regulations). The guidance outlines various actions BIS takes to inform... The post “New” Best Practice Guidance to Address Diversion Risk appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

Spoiler Alert – Similar but Different As a U.S. importer or exporter, we are required to comply with specific regulations. For defense articles, we are regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), for dual-use and commercial items, we must comply with the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and for importing into the U.S., we... The post Compliance with Canadian Exporting and Importing Regulations appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

The game of deception is a bad guy’s favorite game. The lengths of trouble that these people will go to in order to violate the law is extraordinary. Whether it is firearms, drugs or even money, their skills at trying to deceive U.S. Customs or BIS is quite astounding. I have witnessed some of their... The post Smuggling, Deception and Deceit, Oh My! appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

The U.S. government’s recent decision to increase Section 301 tariffs on certain Chinese imports is a significant development in the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China. While aimed at addressing long-standing trade issues, these tariffs also raise concerns for importers who rely on Chinese goods. Understanding Section 301 Tariffs Section 301 of... The post Are you ready to Navigate the Section 301 Tariff increases? appeared first on Export Solutions, Inc ..read more

After over 15 years of maintaining the same fee structure for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration, the U.S. State Department has proposed amendments to increase the fees required for Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) enrollment. As a reminder, the export regulations require registration for those engaged in manufacturing, exporting, temporarily importing, or brokering of any defense articles or services. Formerly, there was a registration fee update back in 2008, with the previous changes occurring in 2004, 1997 and 1985. Currently, the propo ..read more

In the world of international shipping and e-commerce, the term “Section 321” has gained significance, especially among those importing goods into the United States. Under this provision of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, shipments valued at $800 or less can enter the country duty-free and without formal entry requirements. However, the process isn’t always straightforward, and occasionally, shipments get targeted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for further inspection. So why has there been a recent fuss about the de minimis shipments? Here’s what you need to k ..read more

Two Russia-born U.S. citizens, Sergey Nefedov from Anchorage, Alaska, and Mark Shumovich from Bellevue, Washington, were arrested for allegedly operating a scheme to illegally export nearly half a million dollars’ worth of snowmachines and associated parts from the United States to Russia without the required export authorization and approvals through the company Absolut Auto Sales LLC. Details of the Scheme “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants engaged in a scheme to evade export restrictions by smuggling hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of snowmachines and associated parts to ..read more

In September 2021, the announcement of the AUKUS pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States sent shockwaves through the international community. This trilateral security partnership, aimed at enhancing maritime security, emerging technologies, and defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, has since captured global attention. In response to this significant development, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued an Interim Final Rule for the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This rule aims to address the evolving dynamics of international security partnerships a ..read more