CBP will postpone a new requirement that the Harmonized Tariff Schedule number be supplied on in-bond transmissions, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in an emailed update sent Nov. 20. The requirement will not take effect Nov. 27 alongside other provisions of CBP’s September in-bond final rule (see 1709270027), CBP has said, according to the NCBFAA. “CBP will be issuing a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to the Trade to explain this change and other issues from the [Federal Register] notice on the final rule,” the trade group said. “We expect the FAQ to be issued this week.” CBP did not comment.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America will increase its membership dues by 5 percent for 2018, the NCBFAA said in an email to members. The rates are based on the number of employees for members and the maximum rates for regular members will increase to $5,873.05 in 2018, it said. The increase is due to the "need for advocacy over the last year and the rising costs associated to remain in a position in which we can address the challenges and opportunities within our industry," it said. The group's Board of Directors approved the increase earlier this year, the NCBFAA said.
An importer’s late Generalized System of Preferences refund request should be denied, even though it was caused by a misunderstanding with its customs broker, CBP said in a recent ruling. Industrial Chemicals argued the late filing for a refund for duties it paid during the recent lapse in the GSP program was a protestable “mistake of fact or other inadvertence” and should be excused, CBP said. In ruling HQ H286298, issued Oct. 13, CBP held that there was no mistake on the agency’s part when it enforced the statutory 180-day deadline for filing retroactive GSP claims.
CBP is working with a contractor to address technical issues that caused system latency and performance deterioration during the Oct. 25 customs broker exam, it said. “Long term system remediation is underway,” it said. “CBP is currently identifying and evaluating potential options for the October 2017 test examinees impacted by the system issues. CBP will be communicating the plan forward fairly soon once the necessary capabilities and resources have been confirmed,” it said. The October exam, the first to be administered electronically, was beset by system freezes and frequent interruptions (see 1711060023).
CBP will look into reports of problems with the Oct. 25 electronic customs broker licensing exam, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in a Nov. 6 email to members. The agency told the NCBFAA it plans to investigate in response to a slew of complaints about the test. That exam marked the first time the test was administered electronically (see 1709130030). "While we are confident that CBP will thoroughly investigate this matter and identify the root cause of the systems issue, the NCBFAA is working with CBP to identify and implement appropriate remedial actions on an expedited basis," the NCBFAA said.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America in a Nov. 6 letter to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees urged renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences prior to its Dec. 31 expiration, saying previous expirations of GSP caused significant economic damage and disruption. “There is longstanding, bipartisan consensus that GSP is a valuable program that should be extended,” NCBFAA wrote. “Congress knows that GSP helps lower the costs of raw materials or component parts for U.S. manufacturers, an important factor in keeping U.S. companies competitive in foreign markets and lowering the cost of finished products to U.S. consumers. Importantly, GSP only applies to products where there is no U.S. production.”
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Oct. 30-Nov. 3 in case they were missed.
CBP will likely adopt a hybrid “dual calculation system” for drawback in ACE, with substitution drawback calculated using line item per unit average and invoice level calculations for direct identification drawback, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in an emailed update on Nov. 6. The decision will have “significant implications,” because line items previously claimed using substitution drawback would be ineligible for direct identification drawback, and vice versa, the trade group said. CBP is also considering making all merchandise imported in any entry claimed in a drawback claim under the existing law unavailable for substitution drawback claims under the new procedures of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, it said.
The Federal Maritime Commission will meet on Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. to discuss the Supply Chain Innovation Teams and the review process for the Carrier and Marine Terminal Operator Agreement, the agency said. The FMC will also consider "commission action" on a National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America petition involving negotiated rate arrangements, it said. The NCBFAA filed the petition in 2015 (see 1504290019) and the FMC issued a related final rule earlier this year (see 1704030022).
The Federal Communications Commission will end its Form 740 filing requirements for imported radiofrequency devices as of Nov. 2, the agency said in a notice. While the Form 740 will no longer be required, the agency will continue to require compliance with rules for importing RF devices, it said. The FCC "retained the requirement that there must be an entity that assumes responsibility for the compliance of the device and modified the rules to ensure the existence and identity (and a domestic presence under the new [Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC)] rules), of such a responsible party." The FCC approved the changes in July (see 1707130045).