Export Controls Specialist Certification Course

Date:  November 19-21, 2019

Location:  McLean, VA

The Export Controls Specialist (EXCS) certification provides the highest professional standards when it comes to the knowledge associated with the regulatory environment of United States export controls, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations.

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Complying with U.S. Export Controls

Date:  Feb 5-Feb 6, 2020

Location:  San Antonio, TX

This two-day program is led by BIS's professional counselling staff and provides an in-depth examination of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The program will cover the information exporters need to know to comply with U.S. export control requirements on commercial goods. We will focus on what items and activities are subject to the EAR.

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Mr. Pumpkin,

Mr. Pumpkin

Round and Fat…

Harvest time is coming

YUM YUM, THAT IS THAT!  

​Did you know that most pumpkins seeds can be saved from this year and can be used to grow new pumpkins next year?  Pumpkins are grown and sold domestically and take approximately 90-120 days to grow!  Do you have your harvest pumpkin yet?  Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!

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Customs and Border Protection has a new page for CSMS Messages.  The old page was accessible until September 30th.  Effective October 1st, the new CSMS page will contain the most up to date message feed.

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Do you want to be required to share your personal identification documents when completing a POA for a customs entry?  There is a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) recently issued by CBP that would require more information. The proposed requirements would amend the CBP regulations to require customs brokers to collect additional information from an importer. This information would be used by customs brokers to verify the identity of importers, including nonresident importers. CBP proposes these amendments which directs CBP to require brokers to verify the identity of the importers who are their clients and must be reviewed yearly.  Do you agree or disagree?  The deadline for submitting comments on this rule is quickly approaching!  The deadline is October 15th, 2019.

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​U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a statement regarding the signing of the new United States-Japan Trade Agreement.  Under this first-stage initial tariff agreement, Japan will eliminate or reduce tariffs on $7.2 billion of U.S. food and agricultural products.  Out of the $14.1 billion in U.S. food and agricultural products imported by Japan in 2018, $5.2 billion were already duty free.

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Additional exclusions for the Section 301 tariffs on Lists 1, 2, and 3 have been announced by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.  These exclusions cover a total of 437 product descriptions.  Please refer to the links below for the effective dates and for more information on the specific products excluded from each list.

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The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) is stepping up its lobbying effort on Capitol Hill this month to change the way U.S. bankruptcy law is applied to customs brokers when importers become insolvent. Under the current law, a customs broker may be ordered by the bankruptcy trustee to give back any duty the importer paid to the broker to in turn pay CBP in a 90- day claw back period.  The broker is not able to recover the funds from CBP. With importers filing bankruptcy, this has a huge impact on customs brokers who are left holding the bag.  

“Some brokers are attuned to this because they have been affected by importer bankruptcy,” says Laurie Arnold, Regulatory Compliance Officer at JAS USA adding that it will require many industry voices to give the legislation traction.

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