Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade news: 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • CBP announced they are delaying the deadline for use of the Document Image System (DIS) as a method to submit the CBP Form 1302A Cargo Declaration. The new deadline is April 1, 2025.
  • CBP seized $268,000 in unapproved FDA drugs in Cincinnati.
  • Wilmington CBP officers seized $151k in counterfeit designer brand name handbags.
  • CBP announced they are centralizing drawback functions under one Center of Excellence and Expertise (Center). Effective October 1, 2024, Drawback Specialists and their respective functions will be managed by the Houston Field Office under the Petroleum, Natural Gas and Minerals (PNGM) Center.
  • CBP published a new Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) implementation guide.
  • A subgroup of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) Secure Trade Lanes Subcommittee laid out eight recommendations for how to improve communications among CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise, brokers and other trade entities.

United States Trade Representative (USTR)

  • USTR issued a federal register notice announcing a docket for public comments on proposed tariff increases following the four-year 301 review. The docket opened on September 23, 2024 and will close on October 22, 2024.
  • USTR announced an enforcement action under the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) Forest Sector Annex. USTR requested the Government of Peru to verify that five timber shipments exported to the United States from Peru complied with applicable Peruvian laws and regulations.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

  • The United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (the G7) published joint guidance for industry on preventing evasion of the export controls and sanctions imposed on Russia.
  • BIS issued a proposed rule that would prohibit the sale or import of connected vehicles integrating specific pieces of hardware and software, or those components sold separately, with a sufficient nexus to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) or Russia.
  • BIS is extending the public comment period for two July proposed rules that would apply new restrictions on U.S. persons’ support for foreign military intelligence and foreign security end users. The new deadline is October 15, 2024.

United States International Trade Commission (USITC)

  • USITC released The Year in Trade 2023. Key themes noted in the report:
    • Safeguard investigations
    • Section 301 investigations
    • AD/CVD investigations
    • Section 337 investigations
  • USITC determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of certain glass wine bottles from China.
  • USITC voted to institute an investigation of certain smart televisions based on allegations of patent infringement.
  • USITC voted to institute an investigation of certain exercise equipment based on allegations of patent infringement.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

  • The FDA announced the release of a new YouTube video on the FDA’s Import Process for Seafood – “Importing FDA-Regulated Products: Seafood.”

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

  • The FTC announced the addition of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Panama to an international agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation in cross-border enforcement matters.

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)

  • The FMC released the August activity report. Highlights:
    • National Shippers Advisory Committee August meeting
    • Policy statement on an investigatory process applicable to anticompetitive agreements
    • 25 OTI revocations & surrenders
  • FMC issued an Industry Advisory: All FMC statutes and regulations remain in full effect in the event of terminal closures related to possible work stoppage.

Department of Justice (DoJ)

  • Specially designated global terrorist Mohammad Bazzi pleads guilty to sanctions evasion.

Industry News

  • A port strike looms as negotiations between unions and employers remain at impasse days before the October 1 deadline. The Administration has refused to step in to break the strike and industry is already preparing for disruptions.
  • In response to governments requesting that airlines attest to their business relationships with forwarders, shippers, and other airfreight supply chain partners, several Airline trade associations have agreed upon a unified “Established Business Relationship Statement” for industry to use.

Congress

  • The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) sent a letter to the trade representatives of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, urging robust implementation of existing forced labor import prohibitions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and asking for greater cooperation to prevent goods denied in one country being re-exported to another within the USMCA.
  • A bill to require the Justice Department to establish a trade-crime task force passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously.
  • Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI) urged the Defense Department to add two leading Chinese display providers to its Section 1260H list of Chinese military companies, citing their ties to the People’s Liberation Army.

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