NCBFAA has worked diligently with CBP in the wake of the most recent customs broker licensing exam to find a workable remedy for our future fellow members of the LCB community. NCBFAA's Customs Committee, Customs Counsel Alan Klestadt and EVP Megan Montgomery spearheaded a comment collection campaign to identify testing site issues, communicate with the LCB applicants, and worked with CBP to fashion a remedy that best serves the needs of CBP, the LCB community as a whole and the applicants themselves as well. CBP was eager to support the applicants who experienced test day issues and we were grateful for the opportunity to advocate on behalf of our members and future members. The final remedy included the opportunity for unsuccessful candidates to sit for a future exam free of additional charges and a renewed focus on getting the electronic testing perfected before the April 2018 exam. NCBFAA and CBP remain committed together to modernizing the brokers exam and deliver timely results to future applicants.

NCBFAA filed a Petition for Reconsideration with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), urging the Commission to reconsider the import requirements for radio frequency (RF) devices provided in a final rule published on November 2, 2017. In the Petition, NCBFAA explains that the rule inappropriately equates brokers with importers and consignees, who have an ownership interest in the product, are primary parties to the transaction and are most likely to be familiar with the product's technical characteristics.

NCBFAA is encouraging our members to prepare for this transition in several ways. First, please move your entry filing dates up as much as possible to minimize the number of transactions CBP is processing in ACE over the deployment weekend(s). Please minimize the number entries, if possible, on the daily statements in order to control the environment as much as possible. We suggest you move your statements that are due to be paid during the deployment week up early to avoid any miscues and non-payment. Remember to alert your clients if you move their statement dates so they too can have the best information possible. We also encourage you to reach out to your client rep to make sure they will be in the office during the deployment, and find out what your contingency plan should be if they will not be there. Find your best channel of communication with CBP ahead of the deployment so you will have the best chance of success in resolving an issue should one occur during the drop. We also recommend that you reach out to your software vendors to discuss their plans and how you can be the best partner possible for them during this deployment. Again, find a good communication channel with your vendor before the deployment so you won't have to spend precious time just trying to find the right person to speak with. Finally, you may consider sending a communication similar to the following to your clients:

NCBFAA's Regulatory Agencies Committee and the FDA have been working in partnership for over 5 years on the development of filer review guidelines that are fair, equitable and uniform across all 5 FDA US districts. In conjunction with this collaboration, FDA has offered NCBFAA's members the opportunity to participate in a pilot of these filer review guidelines between January to mid-February 2018. The guidelines are currently still in draft form but will be released to eligible potential participants upon request.

On November 27, 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a final rule entitled Changes to the In-Bond Process. The final rule adopted, with several changes, proposed amendments to CBP regulations regarding the in-bond process.

After serving for five years on the FMC, Commissioner William P. Doyle has announced his intention to leave the Commission effective January 3, 2018. Nominated to the post by President Barack Obama, he was confirmed for his first term on January 1, 2013, and for his second term on January 29, 2015.

The CBP 2017 ACE Customer Satisfaction Survey is open now through midnight, December 8. CBP encourages all importers, brokers, carriers and other trade community users of ACE to take the 5-10 minute voluntary and anonymous survey. Results from this survey allow CBP to gauge the impact of ACE and to identify areas needing improvement. Because of the larger the response the more meaningful the survey results, the NCBFAA urges all members affected by ACE to take the time to participate in this exercise.

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 (FSMA) directed the FDA to better protect public health by adopting a modern, preventive, and risk-based approach to food safety regulation. The FDA's final rule, Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food (Sanitary Transportation rule), establishes requirements for shippers, loaders, carriers by motor vehicle and rail vehicle, and receivers engaged in the transportation of food, including food for animals, to use sanitary transportation practices to ensure the safety of the food they transport.

The results of CBP's October 25th Customs Broker Exam as well as the answer key and remedies available for the folks who were unsuccessful will be sent to test takers this week (the week of the 27th). The NCBFAA worked diligently with CBP to try and find a remedy for the issues experienced during the exam and we hope that our colleagues and future members are well served by our efforts.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday last week and a great start to their holiday season. As it was a short week, NCBFAA Executive Vice President Megan Montgomery dedicated a majority of her time to internal administration of the Association and preparation for a busy December of traveling. She looks forward to see everyone at either the upcoming Florida Brokers Conference of the America's or CBP's East Coast Trade Symposium. The Association continued to monitor the progress on ACE stabilization and the upcoming deployments. We are planning for the future with a staff wide meeting on how our website can better serve members over the upcoming year. If you have any thoughts on the current website (content, layout, ease of use, organization, etc.) please shoot Megan an email between now and December 8th so we can have the best staff discussion possible about how to best meet our member's needs.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.