A Day in the Life of a Trade Compliance Manager: A Corporate Parable
A fly on the wall at an executive retreat for Acme Super Duper Widget Company overhears the following conversation between Pete, the CFO, and Saira, the General Counsel.
Level-Up Your CTPAT Portal
The CTPAT portal has been a work in progress for a number of years with the latest portal update (3.0) launched at the end of 2023. Letās take a few minutes to explore a few strategies for best outcomes while avoiding common challenges and the SCSS response request for āmore informationā.
Tariffs and Trade
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.ā – George Santayana. As an example of this I present to you the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. If you are not familiar with this, it is worth taking a moment to research.
New Legislation Extends Statute of Limitations for Sanctions Violations
Recently, President Biden signed a foreign military support bill (H.R. 815) into law, which also encompassed the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act (the Act), a legislative proposal introduced in the House containing various U.S. sanctions-related measures. These sanctions measures extended the statute of limitations (“SOL”) from five to ten years for civil and criminal violations of sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Treasury Departmentās Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”).
BRICS–A Focus on De-Dollarization and Global Expansion
The new world order apparently has some merit as more than 30 nations have reportedly submitted applications to join the BRICS alliance wanting to reduce reliance on the US dollar. This wave of applications is a testament to the trust in the BRICS alliance as a viable option to a traditional economic structure. The BRICS alliance has broad shoulders and is representative of considerable economic growth.
Summary of the Findings of the USTR Four-Year Review of Actions Taken in the Section 301 Investigation
On May 14, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its Final Report relating to the four-year review of actions taken in the Section 301 investigation. Within the Report, the USTR confirmed that it intends to take actions to raise tariffs on specific products as a result of the comprehensive review.
Australia and United Kingdom License Exemptions on the Way!
Canada has long enjoyed International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) license exemptions and minimal controls for items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). What about some of our other friends, such as Australia and United Kingdom? There are ITAR license exemptions for these countries in Parts 126.16 and 126.17 of the ITAR.
USTR Extends Certain Section 301 Exclusions for One Year ā Is Your Exclusion Still Valid?
TheĀ United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently released a list of Section 301 exclusions that would be extended through May 31, 2025. Within the Notice, the USTR explained that extending these exclusions will support efforts to shift sourcing out of China, or provide additional time where, despite efforts to source products from alternative sources, availability of the product outside of China remains limited.
Overcoming Obstacles: Challenges Faced by Chinaās FDI in Mexico
China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico has seen substantial growth in recent years, reflecting a strategic alignment with global economic shifts and regional trade dynamics. This trend positions China as one of the fastest-growing sources of foreign investment in Mexico, with the majority of investments flowing into the manufacturing sector.
Recent Developments in Digital Assets Policy
Digital assets, including blockchain and cryptocurrency protocols and companies, have been in a defensive posture for much of 2022, 2023 and 2024. The collapse of crypto exchange FTX and numerous enforcement actions taken by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have forced the sector to retrench and upgrade their abilities to meet the higher standards of securities laws.