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U.S. Customs
and Homeland Security |
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Customs
agenda eyes textile imports
19 Jan 2006,
JOC Online
LOS ANGELES - U.S. Customs and
Border Protection's commercial agenda this year will emphasize
inspections of agricultural and textile imports, according to a
top manager.
CBP Issues Clarification on MID Requirements
for Textiles and Apparel
2 Jan 2006, ST&R
US Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) recently issued a directive making the following
clarifications regarding compliance with the Manufacturer
Identification Code (MID) requirement for textile and apparel
imports that was announced on October 5. |
DHS
Completes Foundation of Biometric Entry System
4 Jan 2006,
Department of
Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security's
(DHS) US-VISIT program has completed installation of biometric
entry capabilities at 104 land border ports, as mandated by
Congress. Biometric entry capabilities are now deployed at all
fixed ports of entry open to US-VISIT travelers.
“The U.S. Government's efforts to
strengthen our nation's immigration and border management system
have taken a giant leap with the deployment of US-VISIT entry
capabilities at all our ports and visa-issuing posts abroad,” said
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. |
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US Phase II of US Customs WPM
Import implementation plan begins Feb. 1, 06
CIFFA
eBulletin
Phase II of
Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) wood packaging materials
enforcement implementation plan, during which Customs will
begin full enforcement of the ban on violative pallets and
crates, begins on February 1, 2006. Customs has published
information on the agency's plans to implement the enforcement
of requirements for the import of wood packaging materials
into the United States from all origins (except if wood and
shipment originates in Canada). 'Operating Procedures for
Trade Community Regarding Implementation of the Wood Packaging
Materials (WPM) Regulation', provides details of the agency's
three-phase enforcement plan for WPM imports. The 'Phased
Compliance' section of Customs' implementation plan stated the
following: “...
Phase II,
beginning February 1, 2006, will continue informed compliance
measures on all regulated WPM except pallets and crates. CBP
will begin full enforcement of the ban on violative pallets
and crates. Beginning with Phase II, reexport of all shipments
containing violative pallets or crates will be ordered if the
Port Director determines that it is not feasible to separate
merchandise from the violative WPM. IT and T&E shipments found
to contain violative WPM will not be permitted to transit. All
expenses incurred for the services of CBP Officers and
Agriculture Specialists involved in the separation of cargo
will be billed to the importer or other party of interest.
WPM and associated merchandise will be exported at the expense
of the importer or other party of interest.
Phase III,
beginning July 5, 2006, will represent full enforcement of the
WPM ban regulated by 7 CFR § 319. CBP will no longer conduct
informed compliance at the shipment level. In Phase III,
reexport of all shipments containing violative WPM will be
ordered if the Port Director determines that it is not
feasible to separate merchandise from the violative WPM. IT
and T&E shipments found to contain violative WPM will not be
permitted to transit. All expenses incurred for the services
of CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists involved in the
separation of cargo will be billed to the importer or other
party of interest. WPM and associated merchandise will be
exported at the expense of the importer of other party of
interest'. US Customs' WPM web page can be accessed on-line
at:
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial
enforcement/wpm/. |
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MILESTONE
FOR NATIONAL SECURITY CUTTER
Shipbuilders at Northrop Grumman's Pascagoula, Miss., facility
have already erected the final grand block making up the first USCG National Security Cutter
The National Security Cutter (NSC) was designed to be the flagship
of the fleet, capable of meeting all maritime security mission
needs. It will be the largest and most technically advanced class
of cutter in the Coast Guard.
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CBP EXPLOSIVE DETECTOR DOG NAMED “SIRIUS”
AFTER THE ONLY CANINE TO PERISH IN WORLD TRADE CENTER IS DEPLOYED
 Washington,
D.C. — In its steadfast mission to prevent terrorists and
terrorist weapons from entering the country, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) is deploying a new canine explosive
detector team to the field that has a special connection to
keeping people in the New Jersey area safe. CBP canine “Sirius,” a
Black Labrador retriever born on September 23, 2004, at the CBP
Canine Enforcement Training Center (CETC) received her name to
honor the only working dog that died in World Trade Center
attacks. |
Manitowoc Resident Sentenced
to Prison for Exporting
Restricted Electronic Components to China
The Office of
the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has announced
that Ning Wen (DOB: 4/12/49) was sentenced on January 18, 2006 to 60
months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge William C.
Griesbach for export control and money laundering violations. He was
also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and given two years’ supervised
release. He has also agreed to forfeit his interest in his Manitowoc
home and $329,000 cash. In September, a jury convicted Ning Wen of
nine counts related to his participation in a conspiracy to illegally
export more than $300,000 in electronic components to the People’s
Republic of China (PRC) from 1991 to 2004. The electronic components,
primarily semi-conductor chips, had a wide variety of applications
including military radar and communications applications, and as such,
required the permission of the United States government to export to
the PRC because of national security concerns over potential uses. Wen
and his coconspirators, including his wife, Hailin Lin, and two
Chinese nationals, intentionally disregarded the licensing
requirements and shipped the items to China, where they were
distributed to entities and institutes including some that conduct
military research and development. The jury also convicted Wen of
laundering money for the purpose of promoting the illegal exports.
Export compliance ratchets
up
28 Dec 2005,
JOC Online
It has become crystal
clear that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is focused on
export compliance in a much more serious way than most of us
considered.
The areas considered
to be of the highest threat level are proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, terrorism, terrorist support and diversion of dual use
items to military uses. BIS is clearly interested in preventing
illegal exports, but is not at all shy about prosecuting those who
participate in those exports.
China Textile Trade Grew 20% in 2005
China
Releases Report Citing Record Trade Surplus in 2005
Antidumping rates to decline if U.S. declares
China a market economy
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Seminars
- Websites - Holidays |
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Dogs Welcome
the Year of the Dog
Just a bunch of funny dog pictures
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/12/content_4042383.htm
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TRADE INFORMATION CENTER
http://www.trade.gov/td/tic/
The
Trade Information Center
has links to information that U.S. (and other) exporters will find
valuable, including: country and regional trade statistics; trade
agreements; tariff and import fees by country; worldwide trade
events listings; industry- specific information on U.S. exports;
explanations of free trade agreements; exporting guides; trade
leads; and much more.
ABYZ NEWS LINKS
http://www.abyznewslinks.com
This site has
lists of links to newspapers, news media, and news sources
worldwide, arranged by region and country. You'll get links to all
the news media from a country, with abbreviations to tell you what
type of media (newspaper, radio, etc.) it is, what language it's
in, and what its focus (alternative business, ethnic, general
interest, etc.) is. Each link will take you to the Web page for
that media outlet.
US Department of Commerce has a tollfree phone of 1-800-USA
Trad(e) that has an export desk in Washington DC that will give
you the duty rate and any fees applicable to any country. You do
need the first 6 digits of the harmonized code of product. They
also have an option for the import desk.
The
website is
www.export.gov |
Chinese Lunar New Year holiday
schedule:
Jan
28 ~ Feb 2 in Taiwan Jan 28 ~ 31 in Hong Kong
Jan 29 ~ Feb 4 in China
FEB 13 , 2006 - MAKHA
BUCHA DAY |
