International Trade Compliance News Articles

News Articles

Any Comments on FDA’s New Proposed Rule on Prior Notice Regulations?

Vicky Wu November 10, 2023

On November 1, 2023, FDA issued a proposed rule that would make changes to its prior notice regulations, if the rule is finalized. These changes include requiring the name of the mail service and a mail tracking number to be provided in prior notice for food articles arriving by international mail. In addition, the FDA proposes that food facility registration information and prior notice be submitted within a specific timeframe after receiving certain notices of refusal or hold (“post-refusal” and “post-hold” submissions).

New Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigation Initiated Covering Aluminum Extrusions from 15 Countries

Paul Fudacz November 10, 2023

On October 4, 2023, A coalition of 14 U.S. aluminum extrusion producers and labor unions filed petitions before the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (Commerce) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking to impose antidumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on aluminum extrusions produced in 15 countries and exported to the U.S.

Legal Framework Governing IMMEX Operations

Brenda Cordova November 10, 2023

As we have previously explained in other articles, an IMMEX is a duty deferral program from the Mexican federal government created in 2006, which stands for Industria Manufacturera, Maquiladora y de Servicios de Exportación (Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industry).

Overview of BIS’s Interim Final Rules, Export Controls for Advanced Computing, Supercomputing, and Artificial Intelligence

Megan Mohler November 10, 2023

On October 25, 2023, the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published interim final rules amending the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to add/clarify new controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment (“SME”), advanced computing integrated circuits (“IC”), and computer commodities containing them.

Challenges Ahead! – Requesting to be Excluded From the Xinjiang Exclusions

Bruce Leeds November 10, 2023

In April of this year U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) issued Headquarters Ruling H330077. The ruling was in response to a protest filed by an importer that had a shipment of wearing apparel excluded from entry under a Withhold Release Order (WRO) at the port of Newark, NJ. The wearing apparel was processed from cotton produced in India, made into yarn and fabric in China, and converted to wearing apparel in Cambodia. None of the parties to the transaction were located in the Xinjiang Region of China.

OMB Issues Final Rule for Infrastructure Buy America Preferences

James Holbein November 10, 2023

The Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), Made in America Office issued a Final Rule to clarify the Build America, Buy America Act (“BABA”) provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act4 (“IIJA”) and to clarify existing provisions related to domestic preferences. The Final Rule amends Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”), subtitle A, chapter I by adding a new Part 184 to support implementation of BABA. OMB also amended 2 CFR 200.322 to clarify existing provisions within part 200. According to OMB, the Final Rule “is intended to improve consistency in the implementation of BABA requirements across the Federal Government.”5 The Final Rule will take effect October 23, 2023.

The Domino Effect: What Would an Invasion of Taiwan Mean for Global Trade

Victoria Holmes November 10, 2023

Tensions are escalating in the South China Sea, a vital maritime route for international trade. Taiwan remains at the center of this conflict and in an increasingly interconnected world, the prospect of a Taiwan invasion has far-reaching implications for global trade and geopolitics. It’s becoming even more crucial to understand the potential repercussions of such an event on the global economy as a potential invasion from China becomes increasingly more likely.

International Trade Compliance Consultants and The Value Proposition

Linnea Deeds November 8, 2023

Maximizing value is crucial when companies contemplate bringing on external support for any organizational function. While a company may consider several value categories, this article explores five primary categories – productivity, profitability, image, experience, and convenience. By maintaining a value proposition mindset when requesting consultant resources, selecting consultants, and working with consultants, trade compliance professionals leverage the benefits of external experts.

Employee Education in Compliance Training

Linnea Deeds November 8, 2023

Employee education supports organizational growth and development. Its benefits are generally well known, but how do you ensure that training, in any form, generates the outcomes and advances you desire? Measuring and benchmarking success can be especially difficult when creating customized training programs, which are often needed for international trade compliance topics.

DHS Audit of CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise Yields Evidence of Mismanagement

Adrienne Braumiller August 7, 2023

Uniformity, or rather the lack thereof, in procedures and practices within U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Centers of Excellence and Expertise (Centers) is evidently harming compliant companies within the trade community.

De Minimis An Ever-Growing Problem of De Maximus ProportionDe Minimis

Bob Brewer April 2, 2024

De minimis is a term that refers to a threshold below which certain goods are exempt from import duties or taxes. However, in the landscape of international trade, it has become a contentious issue for the United States. Those “bad actors”, and even some, not so bad, but willing to take advantage of a loophole have found a way around the tariffs. This so-called loophole of allowing goods with a fair retail value of $800 or less to enter the U.S. without paying an import tariff has become a monster that Customs needs to find a way to deal with conclusively.

The Importance of Pedimento Codes for the IMMEX Customs Regime

Brenda Cordova April 2, 2024

In Mexico, a customs regime is the destination or treatment for goods subject to customs control in accordance with the nature and purposes of a customs operation. Companies with an IMMEX program may perform operations under the so-called customs regime of “temporary importation for elaboration, transformation or repair under a maquila program”. This name by itself implies several facts to consider.

Maximizing Duty Savings Series –Section 321 Duty Exemptions or De Minimis Exemptions

Kerry Wang April 2, 2024

Welcome to the second installment in our series on duty-saving strategies. After discussing the utilization of Foreign Trade Zones and Bonded Warehouses in our previous article, we now turn to Section 321, a topic of significant importance and, as you’ll see, considerable debate.

Aluminum Extrusions II – Scope Modifications Proposed, Dept. of Commerce Questioning Manageability

Paul Fudacz April 2, 2024

Since the last update on the AD / CVD aluminum extrusions investigation (dubbed Extrusions II) in what appears to be a response to strong opposition from trade industry groups, legislators, governments, and other interested parties, as well as dubious signals from the Department of Commerce, (Commerce) the Petitioners in the ongoing Aluminum Extrusions investigation have proposed modifications to the scope of the investigation.

Evolving Legal Norms for Artificial Intelligence in the European Union and the United States

James Holbein April 2, 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic for the last 2-3 years for politicians, technologists, and many people in civil societies globally. The use of the technology has obvious benefits for increasing productivity and value produced by businesses and organizations, along with dangers from misuse, such as deep fake propaganda and serious security risks. Two recent efforts to develop legislation addressing AI technology offer an opportunity to compare and contrast the differing approaches in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).

La importancia de los Claves de Pedimentos en el Régimen Aduanero de las IMMEX

Brenda Cordova April 2, 2024

En México, un régimen aduanero es el destino o tratamiento que se da a los bienes objeto de control aduanero de conformidad con la naturaleza y propósitos de una operación aduanera. Las empresas con un programa IMMEX pueden realizar operaciones al amparo del régimen aduanero llamado “importación temporal para elaboración, transformación o reparación en programas de maquila”.

The Nexus of Trade and Food Security Amid Global Conflicts

Victoria Holmes April 2, 2024

The intricate interplay between trade and food security has emerged as a vital global issue, one that is closely interwoven with the tapestry of international conflicts and political instability. Remember the 2019 pandemic when toilet paper supply chains were interrupted? Now imagine that on a much larger scale with basic food staples like rice, wheat or corn.

The Unsung Hero of Trade: Why CTPAT Matters

Judy Davis April 1, 2024

In the ever-changing world of trade, where predicting the future is a constant challenge, looking back at the past decade offers valuable insights into the evolution of the supply chain and the tools that have developed to contribute to efficiency and security.

BIS Unveils Enhanced Voluntary Self Disclosure Protocols

Adrienne Braumiller February 6, 2024

On January 16, 2024, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, Matthew Axelrod, disclosed significant enhancements to the process for Voluntary Self-Disclosures (VSDs) related to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These adjustments are strategically designed to streamline export control compliance for U.S. governmental bodies, the commercial sector, and academic entities.

Suspensión del Padron de Importadores

Brenda Cordova February 6, 2024

Uno de los requisitos más importantes para importar mercancías a México es estar registrado como importador en el registro de importadores mexicanos. Hay 2 tipos de registros para importadores, uno es para importadores generales (Padrón de Importadores) y el otro es para importadores de sectores industriales específicos (Padrón de Importadores de Sectores Específicos) que pueden importar mercancías identificadas por el código arancelario MX (es decir, productos químicos, armas de fuego, puros, calzado, textiles, alcohol, hidrocarburos, siderurgia, automoción, etc.). Generalmente, estos 2 registros son listados con información de personas y entidades autorizadas para importar mercancías a México.

The CTPAT Ultimatum: New EO Ties Entry Filing Privileges to CTPAT Validation Status

June 27, 2026

Origin Engineering: How Substantial Transformation Can Reduce Your Tariff Exposure

June 23, 2026

Contracts and Purchase Orders in Mexico – Their Role in Demonstrating Customs Compliance and the Substance of Foreign Trade Transactions