On December 9, ACE will become the only CBP-authorized EDI system for generating, transmitting, and updating daily and monthly statements for all entries except reconciliation (type 09) entries and the ACS will be decommissioned for such purposes. However, until reconciliation entries are filed in ACE, statements for reconciliation entries will continue to use ACS.

FDA recently issued a memo addressing Division of West Coast Imports communication and a factsheet providing a status update on the new ITACS functionality. The Division of West Coast Imports new communication directive outlines the correct format that parties must follow when contacting West coast ports through a central e-mail address.

The FMC invites comments on its recently released Initial Draft Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022 (draft Plan). Comments on the Commission's draft Plan must be submitted on or before December 6, 2017.

President Geoff Powell announced that NCBFAA has joined the U.S. Global Value Chain Coalition -- a newly formed coalition of companies and trade associations whose mission is to educate policymakers and the public about the American jobs and economic benefits generated by companies in the global supply chain.

BIS along with the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of State are taking coordinated steps to implement portions of the National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba. Included in these actions is a BIS rule to amend the licensing policy for Cuba and portions of three license exceptions available for exports and reexports to Cuba: License Exceptions Gift Parcels and Humanitarian Donations, Consumer Communications Devices, and Support for the Cuban People.

In April 2015, the NCBFAA filed a petition with the Federal Maritime Commission requesting that the FMC initiate a rulemaking to further deregulate NVOCC rate tariffs. As you know, in addition to publishing rates in tariff form, the FMC has previously issued two exemptions for the benefit of NVOCCs. The first exemption was called NVOCC Service Arrangements ("NSAs"), which permitted NVOs to enter into private confidential contracts with their customers in a manner that is akin to service contracts that VOCCs enter into with their shipper customers. That exemption required that these NSAs be treated exactly like service contracts from a regulatory perspective, so that NVOCCs using them had to both file a copy of the contract with the FMC and publish their essential terms in a rate tariff. The second exemption pertained to NVOCC rate arrangements ("NRAs"), which permitted NVOCCs to avoid having to publish rate tariffs at all. Instead, NVOs were permitted provide their customers with rate quotations and, assuming the customers accepted, the traffic could move on that basis without having to memorialize the rates in rate tariff form. However, the NRA exemption also had disadvantages, in that: (1) the NRA could not be amended, (2) shippers were required to sign them, and (3) they could not properly include other economic terms such as commitments to ship specified volumes, liquidated damages, credit terms, etc.

The House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee introduced a long-anticipated Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) containing more than 1800 duty suspensions or duty reductions. The bill is a bipartisan, bicameral effort which follows a year long administrative process at the International Trade Commission to review petitions from companies.

The U.S. Census Bureau released data findings from the 2014 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs Exporting Firms Summary.

On October 25, CBP administered the inaugural electronic version of its Customs Broker Licensing Exam and many applicants were subjected to unsatisfactory testing conditions. As news of the examination difficulties arose, the NCBFAA requested members provide feedback to both CBP and NCBFAA with their experiences. Difficulties test takers faced included:

The Commerce Department and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the two agencies to work together to facilitate international e-commerce and strengthen enforcement of U.S. customs laws. The fast-changing e-commerce trade environment requires collaboration on policies and programs to help U.S. businesses compete in international markets.

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.