|
C
U S T O M S / S E C U R I T Y |
|
CBP Announces
Priority Trade Issues for 2008
CBP Breaks Ground on
First New Arizona
Port of Entry
in More Than a Decade
CBP
and ICE Donate Thousands of Shoes to Charity
Washington
— U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement donated 10,000 pairs of shoes to Samaritan’s
Feet, a non-profit charity based in Charlotte, NC. Samaritan’s
Feet is a charity that seeks to cover the feet of 10 million
impoverished people around the world in 10 years.
more...
Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection
and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement FY 2007 Top IPR
Commodities Seized
|
Domestic |
Percent |
|
Commodity |
Value |
of Total |
|
Footwear |
$ 77,781,415
|
40% |
|
Wearing Apparel
|
$ 27,005,914
|
14% |
|
Consumer Electronics
|
$ 16,041,694
|
8% |
|
Handbags/Wallets/Backpacks
|
$ 14,214,304
|
7% |
|
Watches/Parts
|
$ 13,355,985
|
7% |
|
Pharmaceuticals
|
$ 11,137,578
|
6% |
|
Computers/Hardware
|
$ 9,336,893
|
5% |
|
Media |
$ 7,884,152
|
4% |
|
Sunglasses/Parts
|
$ 3,951,758
|
2% |
|
Headwear |
$ 2,902,362
|
1% |
|
All Other Commodities |
13,142,322$
|
7% |
|
Total FY 07
Domestic Value |
196,754,377$
|
|
Number of
Seizures |
13,657
|
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office
of International Trade 11-14-07
“DENIED PARTIES
LIST”
Our government
precludes business relationships with certain individuals,
companies and even countries. Exporters following good
compliance processes regularly refer to the following lists.
more... |
Scan-all a trade
barrier: EC
EU has added
its voice of concern with the growing voices in our Congress to
legislate 100% scanning of incoming cargo containers.
more...
CBP Suspends
Global Trade Exchange, Calls for Limits on 100 Percent Scanning
U.S. Customs and Border Protection official at
the National customs Broker and Freight Forwarders Association
convention said that CBP has suspended its plans to develop a
global trade exchange system that would have expanded the amount
of trade data collected by the agency. more...
DHS Notices: New
ACE Feature; Coast Guard Info Collections
New ACE Tool for Download, Use of Trade
Data. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced April 7
that ACE Secure Data Portal account holders are now able to
download large volumes of account data, import it into a local
reporting system and generate reports tailored to their companies’
reporting software with the authorized data extract feature,
formerly known as bulk data download. CBP states that all cargo
entry, cargo exam, entry summary, entry summary compliance and
account revenue reports are now available for importer and broker
trade account owners and proxy trade account owners to request via
this feature. The authorized data extract will be delivered to the
account holder’s ACE portal account inbox as a compressed file
that can be opened using Microsoft Excel or Access. The new
feature is designed to give the trade community greater access to
transactional data and more flexibility with how it is downloaded
and used.
CBP Returns
Pre-Columbian
Artifacts to Mexico
Tuesday,
April 01, 2008
Dallas –
Yesterday, in a special presentation, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection’s Area Port Director of Dallas, Ana Hinojosa turned
over pre-Columbian artifacts to representatives with the Mexican
Government. The returned artifacts are considered priceless
cultural treasures in Mexico and date back between 1250 BC and 900
BC.
more... |
|
T
R A N S P O R T A T I O N / S
H I P P I N G |
|
|
BNSF Idles
Freight Cars Due to Downturn
4/7/08
Freight
railroad BNSF Railway Co. is parking miles of rail cars in some
parts of the country because there is not enough freight to keep
them moving, the Associated Press reported Monday.
Rail cars that
usually carry 40-foot containers of goods shipped from Asia via
West Coast ports are parked in Montana. The cars standing between
Helena and Great Falls, Mont., make up about 5% of the BNSF fleet,
AP said.
BNSF has parked
upward of 1,000 cars in that state alone, a company spokesman told
AP. More are parked in other parts of the railroad’s 32,000-mile
system, which operates in 28 states and two Canadian provinces.
An official
with truckload carrier Schneider National, which uses extensive
intermodal in its operations, said he believed a freight recession
began more than a year ago, AP said.
Schneider is
not parking trucks, but neither is it buying new ones to the usual
extent, AP reported
By Transport Topics
Japan Airlines
International agrees to plead guilty and pay criminal fine for
fixing prices on cargo shipments
WASHINGTON —
Tokyo-based Japan Airlines International Co. Ltd. (JAL) has agreed
to plead guilty and pay a $110 million criminal fine for its role
in a conspiracy to fix rates for international cargo shipments,
the Department of Justice announced today.
more...
|
The Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement
(WTSA)
FMC Agreement No. 011325, whose member lines serve the US export
trades from the USA to East Asia, have announced a new “Fuel Cost
Recovery Program” and increases to their Bunker Adjustment Factors
(BAF) and Inland Fuel Surcharges (IFC) the month of May. For the
month of May 2008, the BAF will increase to US$ 796 per 20ft ctr,
US$ 995 per 40ft/45ft ctr, and US$ 48 per WM; the Inland Fuel
Charge will increase to US$ 353 per ctr for rail and intermodal
rail/truck shipments, and US$ 102 per ctr for local/regional truck
shipments.
Under their new fuel cost recovery program, effective July 1,
2008, the WTSA lines will increase bunker surcharges to $600 per
40ft ctr, or the full BAF formula level in effect at that time,
whichever is lower. Effective October 1, the BAF will increase to
$900 per 40ft ctr, or the full BAF formula level, whichever is
lower. By January 1, 2009, the WTSA lines say they expect all
tariff and contract cargo to move under the full BAF as published
in their FMC tariffs and adjusted monthly according to their
surcharge calculation formula.
WTSA Executive Administrator Brian Conrad stressed that the
increase amounts are not a departure from the group’s existing
formula, but rather an attempt to bring BAF levels, where contract
terms permit, closer in line with the formula.
WTSA member carriers are
American President Lines, COSCO Container Lines, Evergreen Marine
Corp., Hanjin Shipping, Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, Hyundai
Merchant Marine, "K" Line, NYK Line, OOCL and
Yang Ming Marine. For
more info visit
www.wtsacarriers.org.
|
|
Export Assistance Center
Moves to MSOE
The Milwaukee Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of
Commerce, has recently relocated to new offices on the campus
of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). The Milwaukee
Export Assistance Center is now housed on the Lower Level of
Rosenberg Hall as part of a strategic partnership with MSOE’s
Rader School of Business.
For many years, the Milwaukee Export Assistance Center had
been located inside the U.S. Courthouse on East Wisconsin
Avenue.
The new offices are located in a safe, easily accessible
neighborhood with ample parking available. Rosenberg Hall is
located at 1235 N. Milwaukee Street, near the intersection
with E. Knapp St.
The staff of the Export Assistance Center are very pleased
with their new offices at MSOE and are grateful for MSOE’s
hospitality in hosting them. The new location offers a
conference room for meetings with clients and trade
development partners, as well as classrooms for larger
programs and seminars.
If
you would like to visit the new offices of the Milwaukee
Export Assistance Center at MSOE, please contact Paul
Churchill at 414-297-3475 for details and directions. |
State Hits New
Exporting Record
Wisconsin's
exports increased by 11.8 percent this past year to reach a record
$19.2 billion in 2007. Wisconsin ranks 19th in exports among the
50 states.
"I salute
Wisconsin companies for aggressively seeking new markets around
the globe," Governor Doyle said. "As Governor, I'm committed to
doing all I can to support a climate that encourages success for
our exporters."
more...
|
|
Under Secretary of Commerce Mario
Mancuso Addresses American Bar Assn;
Remarks Highlight Interdependence of
U.S. Security and Prosperity
WASHINGTON
– Under Secretary of
Commerce Mario Mancuso today delivered keynote remarks to a joint
session of the international trade and export control committees
of the American Bar Association. Under Secretary Mancuso
emphasized that dramatic changes on the international security and
economic landscapes necessitated regulatory reforms to continue to
advance US national security, foreign policy, and economic
objectives.
more...
Bureau
of Industry and Security Announces Updates to Commerce Control
List
WASHINGTON –
The U.S. Department of
Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today announced a
series of updates to the Commerce Control List (CCL) as part of a
systematic effort to update and refine the U.S. dual-use export
control system. The CCL helps determine what U.S. goods and
services require a Commerce Department export license to be
shipped overseas.
more...
French
Corporation pleads guilty to conspiracy, illegal export, and
attempted illegal export of cryogenic submersible pumps to Iran
Washington, D.C. - Cryostar SAS,
formerly known as Cryostar France (“CRYOSTAR”), a French
corporation, plead guilty to conspiracy, illegal export, and
attempted illegal export of cryogenic submersible pumps to Iran,
U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor and Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Export Enforcement Darryl W. Jackson announced
today. CRYOSTAR must be sentenced to a criminal fine of
$500,000 and corporate probation of two years.
“Foreign parties that choose to
export U.S.-origin goods to embargoed destinations, such as Iran,
violate our export control laws,” said Assistant Secretary
Jackson. “As this case demonstrates, we will vigorously pursue
such violations.”
“Export restrictions should not be viewed as avoidable obstacles,
but rather as fundamental safeguards for the protection of our
national interests,” stated U.S. Attorney Taylor. “This
prosecution should serve as a reminder that failure to comply with
U.S. export control laws can have severe consequences.” |
BIS
Establishes Online Export Control Training for Exporters
WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the creation of
the BIS Online Training Room, an innovative new resource
for companies interested in learning about U.S. dual-use export
control regulations. The Training Room will act as an organized,
online repository of training modules and webinars, amplifying and
augmenting current BIS exporter outreach programs.
“Active compliance with U.S. dual-use export
control regulations is critical to maintaining safe and secure
international trade, and it is essential that we support the
good-faith efforts of exporters to comply with our regulations,”
said Under Secretary of Commerce Mario Mancuso. “The BIS Online
Training Room will be a great help to exporters, particularly
small and medium-sized enterprises, by making available a
convenient mechanism to learn about our regulations.”
As part of its ongoing efforts to improve
outreach, BIS will continue to create and supplement the materials
regularly. The initial launch includes the first half of the
Essentials of Export Controls seminar that BIS currently
offers around the country, as well as five pre-recorded webinars
covering a variety of topics. The training modules are presented
in a video streaming format. The pre-recorded BIS webinars were
conducted over the past year and focus on specific export control
issues.
The BIS Online Training Room can be found at:
http://www.bis.doc.gov/seminarsandtraining/seminar-training.htm
The Clean Diamond
Trade
The Clean Diamond Trade Act (the "act";
public law 108-19) was signed into law on July 29, 2003. The act
prohibits the "importation into, or exportation from, the United
States on or after July 30, 2003, of any rough diamond, from
whatever source, unless the rough diamond has been controlled
through the Kimberly process certification scheme (KPCS)".
The Census Bureau is responsible for
collecting, compiling and publishing import and export statistics
for the U.S. under the provisions of tile 13 and title 15 U.S.C.
the act requires the census bureau to maintain statistics on
imports and exports of rough diamonds under subheadings 7102.10,
7102.21 and 7102.31 of the harmonized tariff schedule of the
United States.
All importers of rough diamonds must fax a copy
of their KPC certificates to the Census Bureau upon making entry
with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Copies of the KPC must be
faxed to 1-800-457-7328.
Questions regarding the KPCS may be directed to
Ms. Adria Gibson at 202-863-6057. |
|
|
Check your International Geography IQ
Many of us in international trade
are proud of the ability to find obscure and out-of-the-way places
on a map. Your accuracy and speed in pinpointing cities, locations
of monuments, and natural wonders, and matching countries with
their flags is put to the test at the World Traveler IQ Game at
http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq. |
|
Is Trade the Problem?
Copyright © 2006 IFCBA |
International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations
Americans are
angry about trade, and a lot of politicians, especially the two
Democratic presidential candidates, are eager to capitalize on
it. The country would be far better served by a serious, dare we
say fact-based, discussion of what is causing the dislocations in
American workers’ lives, how much trade is to blame and what
government can do to help.
There is no
question that trade can disrupt lives. Just ask the nearly 500
workers who lost their jobs four years ago when Sanmina-SCI closed
its plant in Wilmington, Mass., to move its production of circuit
boards to Asia. An investigation by the Government Accountability
Office found that eight months later only about 175 of Sanmina’s
employees had found new jobs, with most of those taking a pay cut. .more...
|
Antiboycott Laws:
A number of
counties in the world attempt to exert pressure on American
companies to curtail business with Israel. Our government
absolutely stands by the free nation of Israel and this
transparent attempt to preclude the free trade of goods.
During the
mid-1970's the United States adopted two laws that seek to
counteract the participation of U.S. citizens in other nation's
economic boycotts or embargoes. These "antiboycott" laws are the
1977 amendments to the Export Administration Act (EAA) and the
Ribicoff Amendment to the 1976 Tax Reform Act (TRA).
more... |
|
LCL EXPORT TO BRAZIL
As of March 31st, Customs in
Brazil implemented a new regulation which will allow them
complete, automated access to the entire logistics chain for
imported cargo. The system to facilitate this is called
‘Siscomex Carga’.
Besides the regular information
already contained in the bill of lading, Siscomex Carga now
requires the following mandatory information:
CNPJ: If consignee is a
Company.
CPF: If consignee is a
Brazilian national.
Passport Nº: If the consignee
is a foreign national.
NCM: The first 4 digits are
mandatory. It must be the same as the MB/L.
Gross Weight in Kilos: Must be
the same as manifested in the M/BL. No differences will be
Cubic Meters: Must be the same as manifested in the M/BL.
Cargo description: It should be
completed described with no abbreviations.
‘To Order’: Now subject to
special clearance by Customs and may result in delayed cargo
release.
First Vessel
Port of loading of the first
vessel
B/L issue date of the first
vessel
B/L nº of the first vessel
Marks & Numbers: All volumes
should be marked and the marks must be manifested accordingly
on the HB/L.
Notify: CNPJ required if notify
is different from the consignee.
Because of these additional
requirements and in order to ensure compliance, many
carriers are implementing a ‘no documentation/no load’ policy
for all Brazil cargo and cargo in route to Argentina, Paraquay
and Uruguay which transit through Brazil . This goes into
effect immediately. We therefore urge you to ensure that you
get all requirement documentation by cut-off. |
Export Bookings
Appointments for delivering loaded
containers for export to the terminal are occurring more
frequently. A growing number of steamship lines have begun to
enforce a delivery window. That you may not deliver the loaded
container before a certain date – of course you must still have it
delivered before the cut off. |
|
WTO: developing, transition economies cushion trade slowdown
World trade
growth slid to 5.5% last year from 8.5% in 2006 and may grow
even more slowly in 2008 — at about 4.5% — as sharp economic
deceleration in key developed countries is only partly offset
by continuing strong growth in emerging economies, according
to World Trade Organization economists. |
|
521Days…
since
U.S.-Colombia FTA signed and ignored by Congress. The FTA
still awaits Congressional approval. The Speaker of the House
has placed a hold on the necessary legislation. $980,599,666
Est. tariffs imposed on U.S. exports to Colombia since FTA
signed. FTA would eliminate tariffs.
Click here for numbers you need to know |
|
New China
Import/Export Compliance Procedures
China's General
Administration of Customs will implement new regulations on April 1
that may impact the speed with which goods are released by Chinese
Customs. Based on a company's compliance records, internal controls,
business performance and other information, importers and exporters
will be assigned different classification categories (AA, A, B, C and
D).
Firms in Class A
will be eligible for remote filing, rapid inspection and release,
advance customs entry, release before the goods arrive at the port of
entry, and inspection at the company facility if necessary. Class AA
firms will receive all of the Class A benefits, plus a Customs account
manager assigned to answer customs and trade questions, direct customs
release after the entry passes electronic review, and no cargo
inspections under normal circumstances. Class B firms will experience
routine inspections, audits, and customs release of their goods, while
those in classes C and D will be subject to increased inspections and
audits.
China Customs is
now working on the rules, standards, systems, and processes that will
be used to implement the new regulations, including an importer
compliance assessment system and internal control standards that
incorporate best practices from the Importer Self-Assessment program
used by the United States.
-- Stanley Pfrang
China
Textile Quotas Expiring
14 April 2008, NCBFFA
Scott Quesenberry
(Special Textile Negotiator, USTR) and Matt Priest (D.A.S. for Textile
& Apparel (DOC)) spoke at the PRIMESOURCE FORUM in Hong Kong recently
and stated that the US Administration has determined to let the
current China safeguard quotas lapse and not renew or rely on any
product specific safeguard authority at the end of 2008. Mr.
Quesenberry stated they would rely only on alternative WTO-sanctioned
remedies such as anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases to deter
anticipated surges (and injury) to the domestic industry. A monitoring
program has not been discussed, but was not ruled out.
|
E
V E N T S / S E M I N A R S
|
WI International Trade
Conference
Tuesday May 13, 2008
8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Italian Community Center , 631 East Chicago
Street • Milwaukee
REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT ONLINE
Have a drink on us at the reception 4:00 pm - 6:00
pm
(You may attend without being registered
for the conference.)
Held in the Italian Community Center
Atrium, compliments of
Bentley World Pkg.,
Ltd., M.E. Dey & Co., Inc. , Pilot Air
Freight
Come visit the M.E.
Dey booth and find out how we can help you
manage your supply chain program. |
30th Anniversary of the AGS
Library at UWM
Friday, May 30, 2008
Come help us
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the arrival of the American
Geographical Society Library at UWM Libraries. The festivities
begin at 4:30pm with the 19th Annual Maps and America Lecture,
sponsored by Arthur and Janet Holzheimer. The evening also
includes a celebratory dinner, beginning at 7:30pm. For more
information, go to:
http://www.uwm.
Annual International
Directors' Visit
The directors
of Wisconsin's five international trade offices will be making
their annual visit to Wisconsin the week of May 12-16. Kate Clarke
and Kara Smith (Europe), Vince Lencioni (Mexico), Paul Swenson
(China), Claudia Tomaselli (Brazil), and Nancy Ward (Canada) serve
as the eyes and ears for Wisconsin exporters in key markets around
the world. The trade offices conduct market viability studies and
agent/distributor searches as well as identify government
regulations that can affect a firm's sales efforts.
Each May the
directors of the trade offices visit the state to disseminate
information about the business opportunities in their markets and
to consult one-on-one with firms interested in expanding their
export sales efforts. They will be available for meetings in
Milwaukee during the 44th Annual Wisconsin World Trade Conference
in Milwaukee on May 13, in Sheboygan in the morning of May 14, the
Fox River Valley in the afternoon of May 14, in the Eau Claire
area on May 15, and in Madison on May 16.
To request a
meeting in Milwaukee contact Commerce's Outreach Consultant for
Southeastern Wisconsin, Susan Dragotta,
susan.dragotta@wisconsin.gov,
ph: (262) 691-5147; in Sheboygan, the Fox River Valley, or Eau
Claire area, contact the Outreach Consultant for East Central and
Northern Wisconsin, Brad Schneider,
brad.schneider@wisconsin.gov,
ph: (920) 420-1796; and for Madison, contact the Outreach
Consultant for South Central and Southwestern Wisconsin, Stanley
Pfrang,
stanley.pfrang@wisconsin.gov,
ph: (608) 267-0639.
-- Stanley Pfrang
International
Marketing Help for Ag Firms
As recent
record export numbers confirm, the world is hungry for
Wisconsin-made food and agricultural products. But tapping into
international markets can be challenging, especially for small and
medium-sized companies. Thanks to help from a cost-share program
and technical assistance from the state's international trade
team, a number of Wisconsin companies are finding it easier to
expand their markets abroad.
more...
Chinese Food and
Beverage Exhibition
Space is still
available for Wisconsin's food and beverage companies interested
in exhibiting at the USA Pavilion at the SIAL China Food Show. The
event is scheduled for May 14-16, 2008 in Shanghai, China. SIAL
China is considered the premiere event for the food, beverage,
wine, and spirits industries in Asia. In 2007, more than 22,000
visitors from 87 countries attended SIAL China. This was an eight
percent increase over 2006.
Funds are
available to help Wisconsin companies defray the costs of
exhibiting. The Branded Program of Food Export-Midwest provides up
to a 50% reimbursement to eligible companies for exhibit and
travel fees. Visit
www.brandedprogram.org for more information or contact Ms.
Lisa Stout, Agricultural Marketing Consultant at the Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,
lisa.stout@wisconsin.gov,
(608) 224-5126.
Seoul
Food and Hotel Food Show
The South Korea
economy depends heavily on foreign trade which translates to
opportunities for U.S. food suppliers. The Seoul Food and Hotel
show strives to be the most representative food fair in all of
Northeast Asia. The show attracted nearly 40,000 attendees in
2007. The event is scheduled for May 14-27, 2008 in Seoul, South
Korea.
For more
information about exhibiting and tradeshow enhancement services,
contact Ms. Lisa Stout, Agricultural Marketing Consultant at the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection,
lisa.stout@wisconsin.gov,
(608) 224-5126.
-- Stanley Pfrang
China Furniture &
Woodworks 2008
In an effort to
assist American hardwood suppliers with access to the growing
market for American hardwood in Northern China, the Hardwood
States Export Group (HSEG) and the American Hardwood Export
Council (AHEC) have organized a 150 square-meter USA Pavilion at
China Furniture & Woodworks 2008 in Dalian, June 12 - 15. The
pavilion is open to any U.S. company.
Qualifying
companies may choose six, nine, 12, 15, or more square meters at
discounted rates, ranging from $350 to $800, which are subsidized
by a grant from U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service. For more
information, please contact Commerce Asia Specialist, Ms. Beng
Yeap,
beng.yeap@wisconsin.gov,
ph: (608) 266-1480.
-- Stanley Pfrang
|
|
AEROSCRAFT