LinkedInFacebookInstagramXYouTube
305-456-3830|info@diaztradelaw.com

February 2025

Call 305-456-3830 or email info@diaztradelaw.com.

What Happened This Month in International Trade (February 2025)

Another busy month in international trade. Here is a roundup of the latest legal and policy developments.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

  • CBP released their January 2025 monthly update. Highlights:
    • Seized 1,977 shipments that contained counterfeit goods.
    • Stopped 1,986 shipments for suspected use of forced labor.
    • Identified $71 million in duties and fees owed to the U.S. government.
  • CBP announced the results of their recently completed global interoperability standards technology demonstrations. The results will help the agency in its efforts to modernize ACE 2.0 and make it consistent with CBP’s 21st Century Customs Framework.

Administration

  • In a Truth Social post, President Trump stated that the suspended 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will go into effect on March 4. He also stated that China will also face an additional 10% tariff beginning March 4.
  • President Trump issued a memorandum titled “Defending American Companies and Innovators From Overseas Extortion and Unfair Fines and Penalties.” The memo instructs USTR to consider whether to renew 301 investigations of several Digital Services Taxes and other policies that may discriminate against the United States.
  • In a Truth Social post, President Trump announced that on March 1, the Administration is terminating the “Concession Agreement” that the Biden Administration reached with Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. The agreement involved oil transactions and electoral conditions. According to the post, the electoral conditions have not been met and the country has failed to transport Venezuelan migrants back to Venezuela.
  • During a White House Cabinet meeting […]
By |2025-02-28T07:25:02-05:00February 28, 2025|MTB, Snapshot|0 Comments
Read More

Importing Drones into the U.S.: Key CBP Requirements You Need to Know

Authors:
Jennifer Diaz, President, Diaz Trade Law
Jonathan Rupprecht, Aviation Attorney at Rupprecht Law

Importing goods into the U.S. requires navigating a web of regulations that spans 47 federal agencies. If you are the importer of record, it is your duty to exercise “reasonable care” in meeting these obligations. As part of this duty, importers must take adequate steps to properly classify and determine the value of imported goods, provide information to CBP in properly assessing duties, and determine whether other applicable legal standards and requirements have been met.

When importing drones into the U.S., importers need to be mindful of several requirements including classification, intellectual property, additional duties, and a changing U.S. trade policy.

Classification

When importing goods into the United States, importers must correctly classify their products. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is the primary resource for classifying goods and determining which tariffs apply.

The HTSUS is issued annually by the International Trade Commission (ITC). It is comprised of a 10-digit import classification system that is specific to the United States. This 10-digit code encompasses the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) six-digit uniform classification system shared among more than 200 countries.

An HTSUS is formatted to list the first 6-digits set forth by the WCO, also known as a heading and subheading and the last four digits assigned by the ITC that are specific to the U.S.

Prior to 2022, the HTSUS has lacked classifications specific to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Importers had to classify under codes applicable to crewed aircraft […]

By |2025-02-28T07:10:28-05:00February 28, 2025|Import, Intellectual Property Rights, Reasonable Care, Technology|0 Comments
Read More

Trade Policy Is Changing Rapidly—Prepare Your Business for What’s Next

Trade policies are shifting faster than ever, with new tariffs, complicated regulations, and heavy enforcement measures impacting businesses across industries. If you are an importer, staying ahead of these changes is critical to maintaining smooth operations and avoiding financial setbacks.

With trade policy in flux, now is the time to ensure you are on solid footing by auditing your compliance strategies, reassessing tariff exposure, and ensuring your business is prepared for what’s ahead.

Audit Your Business Before CBP Does

Conducting an audit of your business to check for import compliance is an essential step to avoid costly penalties, thwart supply chain disruptions, and to minimize legal risk. An audit helps identify potential compliance gaps, ensuring that your existing business practices are in compliance with all applicable regulations. It also allows businesses to proactively address issues before they escalate.

Import Report Card

Diaz Trade Law can provide a customized ACE report card to give you an overview of your import compliance. The report contains a summary of your import transactions and identifies potential issues in your business’ processes as well as substantive recommendations to ensure compliance. The report provides information like:

  • Your last 5 years of import history
  • List of HTS’s you use
  • Total amounts paid in AD/CVD
  • Manufacturer ID’s reported to Customs
  • Inconsistencies in reporting
  • Total value of imports and duties paid by year
  • Review of countries of origin of your imported merchandise
  • Use of Free Trade Agreements
  • Your surety, bond coverage, and bond type
  • And more!

Lastly, the Report Card service […]

By |2025-02-27T15:07:04-05:00February 27, 2025|ACE, Best Practices, Enforcement, Import, Pre-compliance, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments
Read More

Florida Company Pays $165K, Implements Self-Financed Monitoring to Resolve FMC Allegations

Authors:
Jennifer Diaz, President, Diaz Trade Law
Vin DiCianni, President, Affiliated Monitors

Double Ace Cargo, a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC) based in Florida, has paid $165,000 in civil penalties and will self-finance independent monitoring of its business practices under two separate compromise agreements it reached with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

Under the first agreement, reached in June 2023, Double Ace paid $115,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it violated the law (46 U.S.C. § 41104(a)(11)) by transporting shipments on behalf of entities that were not licensed NVOCCs, did not have bonds, and did not publish tariffs. 46 U.S.C. § 41104(a)(11) governs common carriers and prohibits them from knowingly and willfully accepting cargo from or transporting cargo for the account of a non-vessel-operating common carrier that does not have a tariff, or an ocean transportation intermediary that does not have a bond, insurance, or other surety.

In reviewing the June 2023 compromise, the FMC ordered the Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance (BEIC) to conduct a second investigation to re-examine the conduct of Double Ace and to ensure the company was complying with all obligations. The investigation resulted in a second compromise agreement where the company paid $50,000 in civil penalties for transporting shipments on behalf of entities that were not licensed NVOCCs, did not have bonds, and did not publish tariffs, in violation of 46 U.S.C. § 41104(a)(11).

As part of the second compromise agreement, Double Ace agreed to pay for independent monitoring for 12 months. The monitor is providing monthly […]

By |2025-02-26T16:36:18-05:00February 26, 2025|U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)|0 Comments
Read More

Breaking Trade News: CBP Jan Update, USITC, Congress

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

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

  • CBP released their January 2025 monthly update. Highlights: 
    • Seized 1,977 shipments that contained counterfeit goods. 
    • Stopped 1,986 shipments for suspected use of forced labor. 
    • Identified $71 million in duties and fees owed to the U.S. government. 
  • The next 17th term Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) quarterly public meeting will take place Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, in Atlanta, GA from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 
  • CBP intercepted a first in the nation pest at the Calexico Port of Entry. 
  • Chicago CBP seized over 161K counterfeit U.S. Forever stamps. 
  • On February 22, CBP will migrate the ACE Portal account user access management functionality to the modernized ACE Portal retiring the legacy ACE Portal.  

Administration  

  • At a press conference, President Donald Trump said that he will “probably” say more about […]
By |2025-03-20T22:04:02-04:00February 21, 2025|news, Snapshot|0 Comments
Read More
This website uses cookies and third party services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the Privacy Policy. OK
Skip to content
Go to Top