Too Little Transparency, Enforcement in E-Commerce, Industry Tells CBP
Industry representatives voiced frustration about e-commerce, seeking a more-streamlined filing system and crackdown on foreign sellers. A common complaint was lack of transparency from foreign companies when they sell through online markets, a Customs and Border Protection event was told…
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Friday. The foreign e-commerce sellers bypass U.S. safety and testing regulations, disproportionately placing the “burden of enforcement” on the brand owners of the items, said Rebecca Mond, Toy Association vice president-federal government affairs. That leads to lapses in enforcement, she said. Cornelia Steinert, Canon Virginia senior manager-international trade, said there's “simply no visibility” for importers of e-commerce products, especially small shipments. “How do you know what they’re ordering?” she said. “A lot of times, you can’t tell where the products are being shipped from.” She wants improvements to CBP manifest filings. Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America CEO Matt Priest said one of the footwear industry’s biggest issues is “unauthorized third-party sellers” online. Priest suggested more communication between CBP and industry. “The prevalence of e-commerce has just been so difficult for our members to get their hands around” on enforcement issues, he said. That multiple filings are made to CBP and each foreign government agency involved in selling a product online is problematic, said Cindy Allen, FedEx Trade Network vice president-regulatory affairs and compliance.