The recent June 12, 2024, Federal Register notice added three entities to the UFLPA Entity List showing increasing focus on three additional commodities. The entities which were added are suspected of working with the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor or receive forced labor or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The areas of increased focus include shoe and shoe materials, frozen seafood, vegetables, quick frozen convenience food and other aquatic food, and electrolytic aluminum, graphite carbon, and prebaked anodes.

To read more, check out the full register notice linked below.

‍

On June 24, 2024, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Matthew S. Axelrod signed a settlement agreement with an exporter for violations of EAR. The violations occurred because of forty-two different shipments over the course of 4 years which were classified under ECCNs 1C353. These instances were subject to export licenses, but no licenses were obtained prior to exportation.

The exporter has a compliance team and upon recognition of the issue, submitted a voluntary self-disclosure. To read more details, check out the link below.

‍

On June 3, 2024, the BIS imposed a civil penalty of $44,750 for violations of the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).  In the press release, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, Matthew S. Axelrod said “Our antiboycott rules against furnishing prohibited information and failing to report boycott-related requests apply with the same force even when another U.S. company is the one making the information requests.”  He goes on to say “U.S. companies are reminded to be vigilant in examining all transaction documents, regardless of the source, to ensure terms and conditions comply with our antiboycott rules.”

‍

JAS Forwarding (USA) Inc. Compliance team members Laurie Arnold (NCBFAA Secretary) and Leah Ellis (NCBFAA Legislative Committee Chair) attended the quarterly NCBFAA board meetings in DC discussing Ecommerce, PGA’s, transportation, and customs issues.

One of the most exciting things to do for the 4th of July holiday is to see fireworks with family and friends! Did you know that 88% of fireworks in the United States are imported? It is considered a very specialized product with lots of regulations. CBP seizes tons of firework shipments annually that never make it past the US port of entry. So before getting into the business of importing fireworks consulting with a customs broker like JAS is important! Happy Independence Day!!

‍