As business interests again pressed the government to intervene in the East/Gulf Coast longshoremen dispute, the International Longshoremen's Association outlined its disagreements with the shippers' contract offer, and ports began to prepare for a strike beginning Dec. 30.
The Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters (I.E. Canada) voiced some concerns for the requirement to make entry for residue as part of CBP's planned pilot program. CBP is in the process of developing a pilot program that would test new requirements for filing entries on residue contained within Instruments of International Traffic (IIT). I.E. Canada filed the comments with CBP ahead of a planned Federal Register notice detailing the pilot.
The Census Bureau released its schedule for Automated Export System seminars and AESPcLink workshops for 2013. At each event, training will be provided by Census, CBP, and the Bureau of Industry and Security at the seminar on the first day. These experts will cover the filing requirements of the Foreign Trade Regulations, how to classify commodities in Schedule B, EAR compliance, enforcement of the FTR, and provide a thorough overview of the AES. The second day will offer a half day AESPcLink Workshop.
The two customs reauthorization bills recently introduced in the House would both make several changes to the process and rules governing drawback, including a revision to the formula for calculating the drawback amount.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 10-14 in case they were missed.
Jan. 8 USAITA Seminar on Retailing in China, noon, PwC, 300 Madison Avenue, New York -- http://www.usaita.com/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/event/info&Itemid=141&reset=1&id=34
The bill introduced by House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) Dec. 7, offers a useful starting point for future discussions for the legislation, even though it's highly unlikely anything will be finished this year, observers said. There's still much to be decided before a customs reauthorization bill can make its way through the legislative process, said industry executives following the issue closely.
CBP posted items agreed upon during the Dec. 4 meeting of the Advisory Committee for Commercial Operations (COAC), including a set of recommendations from the COAC Subcommittees on the Role of the Broker and Trade Facilitation regarding the increased reliance on Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs).
The costs of using a private, third-party Central Examination Site (CES) designated by CBP should be the responsibility of the importer, rather than the customs broker, said Cataract Customs Brokers in comments to CBP. The comments were filed in response to a seemingly unconnected Federal Register notice announcing the date and agenda for the Dec. 4 meeting of the Advisory Committee for Commercial Operations (COAC).
CBP announced that the 2013 annual user fee of $138 for each customs broker permit and national permit held by an individual, partnership, association, or corporation is due by Feb. 15.