Monday Morning eBriefing

A summary of the latest customs and cross-border trade regulatory updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Customs Counsel firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg.

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome Allister Lines and Pilot Aiship Tech Co., which have recently joined our association. We're so excited to have these firms join our organization and we are happy to assist in any way we can!

A summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable.

USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) on Aug. 19 published a Federal Register notice announcing its intent to revise and extend a previously approved information collection, titled “National Organic Program: Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE).” This information collection covers necessary documentation for the continued enforcement of the SOE final rule, such as import certificates.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Miami Region has published a solicitation for applications to operate a Centralized Examination Station (CES) in the Miami seaport. The solicitation period started Aug. 18 and will last through Oct. 17.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 14 created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2620 which contains 16 harmonized tariff records and 53 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records. Specifically, HSU 2620 contains the Quartz Surface Products Quota HTS updates.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advises customs brokers to use the ACH Rejected Refunds Report (REV-613) report in the ACE Reports tool to help importers identify any refunds that have been rejected due to missing Automated Clearing House (ACH) enrollment. CBP said importers also have the option to run the REV-613 report to determine whether any potential refunds have been rejected.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a Federal Register notice on Aug. 19 that the agency is taking “initial steps” to implement Executive Order 14411 “Strengthening Customs Enforcement.” Specifically, the agency is enhancing enforcement procedures to verify the accuracy of the information provided by new and existing importers of record on the CBP Form 5106, consistent with Executive Order 14411 and governing statutes.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) notified the trade on Aug. 18 of the following correction: HTSUS classifications 9903.05.01 associated with Section 301 Duties on Certain Products from Brazil and 9903.05.20-9903.05.84 associated with Section 301 Forced Labor Import Duties are drawback eligible. On Aug. 12, CBP deployed updates to the validations for FD07 to disallow drawback for these HTSUS classifications.

One month after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certificate eFiling launch, the feedback the RAC has received is mostly positive, Overall, the implementation is proceeding fairly smoothly. Pain points still exist, but major upheaval did not occur. Included here are some of the issues that still need to be addressed.

At the Steel Identification, Classification, and Trade Law Seminar in Los Angeles/Long Beach on August 4-5, 2026, CBP provided the following tips covering new section 232 rules, chapter heading 9903.82.01, and CAPE refund bills.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is pleased to announce the selection of 27 stakeholders to participate in the Reimbursable Services Program (RSP), as provided for under Section 481 of the Homeland Security Act, 2002. The Reimbursable Services Program is a key component of CBP’s public-private partnerships and is an opportunity for us to proactively work with stakeholders and communities to identify business solutions for a variety of border management needs.

David Cummins on Friday, Aug. 7, was sworn in as Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), following his recent confirmation by the U.S. Senate. In May 2026, President Trump nominated Cummins to head TSA and lead a workforce of approximately 60,000 employees and the security operations at more than 430 airports across the U.S.

The Treasury Department on Aug. 10 published a current list of countries which require or may require participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott, including Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on Aug. 6 published a temporary final rule to restrict the export of black mass and tungsten waste and scrap without a Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) license. This rule is being issued in response to a Presidential Determination from July 30 that determined that the U.S. has an inadequate supply of critical minerals and materials (CMMs) which poses a risk to national defense and security.

It is with profound sadness that NCBFAA notifies our membership of the passing of Don H. Brown, Co-founder and Chairman of Charleston, South Carolina-based Rogers & Brown Customs Brokers, on Aug. 3 at the age of 87. He learned the customs brokerage industry in the 1960s, obtained his customs broker license, and together with Andy Rogers formed Rogers & Brown Customs Brokers in 1968. The company has been an active member of NCBFAA since 1975.

Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations on Aug. 6 launched its “OFO Strategy 2026-2030,” a new roadmap which outlines how OFO will continue to safeguard U.S. travel, trade, and agriculture for national and economic security. “To support our key priority of strengthening security and enforcing laws, this strategy will guide our expansion of technology innovation that not only benefits CBP but also our law enforcement partners, the traveling public and our trade and travel industry partners,” said Executive Assistant Commissioner Diane J. Sabatino, Office of Field Operations, in a statement.

President Trump signed a proclamation on Aug. 6 to impose a 15% tariff under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act on imports of polysilicon and related derivatives and includes the establishment of minimum import prices (MIP) for these products. Both actions are due to take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 4, 2026.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is updating its listing and certificate procedures for seafood products exported to the European Union (EU). The FDA updates were prompted by recently published new “simplified” export certificates from the EU that will be required for seafood exported to the EU starting on Sept. 3, 2026. These simplified export certificates will be required in addition to the new EU catch certificates currently being implemented by the EU.

A summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable.