CBP should reconsider and withdraw its proposal to establish procedures to suspend or revoke an assigned entry filer code, said the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America in comments to the agency. The comments came in response to CBP's notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would allow for due process when CBP seeks to suspend or revoke an entry filer codes and stop immediate delivery and remote location filing privileges (see 13022521). A number of companies and individual brokers also filed on the issue, voicing concern with the proposal.
U.S. radio stations face challenges improving their perception amid declines in on-air ads now versus before the Great Recession, and online and other initiatives with potential not fully realized, said some industry insiders we surveyed. They said an ongoing FCC auction of commercial FM-station construction permits points up the economic hardships of running stations in small markets, where many of the CPs are. Increasing competition in markets of all sizes from streaming media and online ad rates lower than stations charge per over-the-air listener are challenges, said executives and analysts. Some were optimistic that, between terrestrial and digital spots, ads will return to pre-recession levels. Others said that won’t happen.
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Coach’s trademark suit against Celco Customs Service isn’t over yet -- Central District of California Judge Margaret Morrow on April 22 vacated the judgment to allow time to consider issues related to the availability of evidence during the trial. The judge was ready to hear the arguments, but the clerk mistakenly entered judgment based on the jury verdict before she could, according to a court filing. The California-based customs broker is arguing that the jury verdict awarding Coach $8 million was improper. According to Celco, the suit was filed at such a late date that key evidence was no longer available.
Ralph Lauren Corporation agreed to pay more than $1.5 million in penalties and disgorgement to the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission on allegations the company bribed Argentinean government officials to obtain improper customs clearance of merchandise, the two federal agencies announced April 22.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 15-19 in case they were missed.
Trade associations spent relatively little on lobbying in the first quarter of 2013, according to public records. Groups like the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association, the American Association of Exporters and Importers and the U.S. Association of Textiles and Apparels Importers spent less than $5,000 each. Customs reauthorization, the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill and potential trade agreements were some of the biggest issues trade groups lobbied on in Q1, the records show.
CBP posted an updated version of its test guidelines for the Centers for Excellence and Expertise. The updated version provides some new information on "Revenue Collection" and "Requests to Cancel Participation," among other things.
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) annual conference had about 470 attendees this year, said an association spokesman. The previous year's conference had around 542 attendees. The NCBFAA conference for next year is scheduled for April 6-9 in Las Vegas, Nev., said the spokesman.
April 22 ICC World Trade Agenda Summit, Doha, Qatar (here)