CBP Consider 56 Comments Submitted In Response To Proposed Amendments To The Customs Brokers Regulations
CBP recently closed the comment period on its proposed changes to the customs brokers regulations in 19 CFR Part 111. A total of fifty-six (56) comments were submitted—most were concerned with ambiguity in the proposed regulatory language, while others suggested substantive amendments. CBP will evaluate the comments and decide whether to make further changes before […]
Customs Announces New Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Imported Goods Produced in Hong Kong
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a General Notice on August 11th notifying the public that imported goods produced in Hong Kong must be marked to indicate China as their country of origin. , The new requirements stem from the President’s recent Executive Order 13936 which formally suspended Hong Kong’s special trade status with the United […]
BIS Issues Final Rule Suspending License Exceptions Under The Export Administration Regulations For Hong Kong
Today (July 31, 2020), the BIS published its Final Rule revising the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. Parts 730 – 774) (EAR) and suspending license exceptions that were previously applicable to Hong Kong. License exceptions are authorizations under the EAR that allow exports, reexports or in-country transfers without a license from the BIS provided that […]
The Suspension of Hong Kong’s Special Trade Status Poses New Export, Sanctions and Import Compliance Requirements on U.S. Companies
On July 14, 2020, President Trump issued Executive Order 13936 formally suspending Hong Kong’s special trade status under U.S. law. Several weeks earlier, on May 27, 2020, the Department of State certified to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by virtue of, among other things, […]
USMCA Certification Requirements and Sample Template
Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that entered into force on July 1, 2020, there is no required certificate of origin form or specified format for exporters, producers, or importers to use to certify that their goods satisfy the USMCA origin criteria and qualify for preferential trade benefits. Instead, importers must have a written certification […]
BIS Makes Significant EAR Rule Changes Impacting the Military “Catch-All” Controls, License Exception CIV and License Exception APR
On April 28, 2020, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published three notices that would amend the Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. Parts 730 – 774) (“EAR”) in order to advance to advance the objectives of the Administration’s National Security Strategy released in 2017, as well as address the challenges discussed in […]
Recent Federal Maritime Commission Activity
On April 27, 2020, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued a press release of immediate interest to the international transportation community granting temporary relief from certain service contract requirements. The FMC’s mission is to ensure a competitive and reliable international ocean transportation supply system that supports the U.S. economy and protects the public from unfair […]
US and UK Launch Virtual Negotiations of a New Free Trade Agreement This Week
The United States and the United Kingdom will begin virtually negotiations of a new free trade agreement this week. The talks will be conducted remotely through video conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic with US and UK negotiators engaging in discussions over the next two week in nearly 30 different negotiating groups covering all aspects […]
USTR Notifies Congress that USMCA Will Enter into Force on July 1st
Today (April 24, 2020), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer notified Congress that Canada, Mexico and the United States have taken measures necessary to comply with their commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and therefore the Agreement will enter into force on July 1, 2020. The USMCA is the successor agreement to the North American […]
Side-by-Side Comparison of Key Provisions in the NAFTA and the USMCA
As the USMCA’s entry into force nears, U.S. importers and exporters who have been making NAFTA claims or issuing NAFTA Certificates of Origin should become familiar with the provisions that will remain essentially the same under the USMCA as well as with the modifications that the USMCA will make to the prior NAFTA requirements. The […]