The Treasury Department held another discussion with industry on the impact of U.S. sanctions as the agency conducts a review of its sanctions regimes (see 2105280004). The meeting, held last week between Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and small-business representatives, included a discussion on how Treasury’s sanctions “play a role as small businesses seek to grow and expand,” the agency said June 2. “[T]hrough the sanctions review [Adeyemo] seeks to identify ways to strengthen the sanctions tool to best advance our national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives,” Treasury said. The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said June 7 that it participated in the discussion.
AIT Worldwide Logistics acquired Multimodal International, an Illinois-based U.S. customs broker, the companies said in a June 3 news release. Multimodal is "known for their deep industrial vertical knowledge, particularly in the automotive and chemical markets -- two sectors where AIT is strategically expanding," AIT Chief Information Officer Ray Fennelly said. "Bringing these experts into the AIT customs brokerage team adds immediate value for our customers in those industries, and many others.” Terms of the deal weren't released.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet remotely June 23, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due in writing by June 22.
CTPAT Participants Survey Shows Desire for More Communication, Continued Use of Remote Video Contact
Members of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program would like to see better communication and a continued reliance on virtual visits, the University of Houston Borders, Trade and Immigration Institute found in a recently released study. “CTPAT is already taking action to address areas of improvement found within the study such as providing increased training for [supply chain security specialists (SCSS)] and looking into a formal mechanism for collecting member feedback,” CTPAT Director-Office of Field Operations Manuel Garza said in a note to members. Garza said he plans to create an internal task force to review the findings.
Importers, exporters and customs brokers have until June 11 to file objections to the release of data on shipments of plants and wildlife regulated by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999 and from 2015 to 2020, FWS said in a notice on its website. The agency says it has received a Freedom of Information Act request for data on shipments in its Law Enforcement Management Information System database, and will release the data if no objections are received by that date.
A Republican proposal for a highway bill requires customs brokers and other "covered entities" to verify that the hired motor carrier is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, has appropriate insurance, and has not been determined unfit to operate by the FMCSA or a state. Brokers are covered "only to the extent that the customs broker is engaging in a movement under a customs bond or in a transaction involving customs business," according to the legislation. These provisions would create "a National Hiring Standard to clarify and standardize industry best practices for hiring safe carriers," according to summary of the bill. "This will ensure that shippers, brokers, and intermediaries have reliable and accurate information on which to base hiring decisions."
Golf clubs are commonly made with components from multiple countries of origin and may be subject to additional tariffs, depending on the origin, CBP said in a May 18 CSMS message. That is why importers of completed golf clubs are required to include origin information for each component, it said.
The FCC is likely to look to DOJ to tackle Dish Network’s complaint against T-Mobile about the pending shuttering of T-Mobile’s CDMA network, government and industry officials said in recent interviews. In a May 3 letter, groups asked the FCC (see 2105030065) to use Communications Act authority to examine the closing of the network, by year-end. The more likely forum to examine the complaint is at DOJ, though the FCC could scope the shutdown, experts said. The California Public Utilities Commission could also investigate.
The FCC is likely to look to DOJ to tackle Dish Network’s complaint against T-Mobile about the pending shuttering of T-Mobile’s CDMA network, government and industry officials said in recent interviews. In a May 3 letter, groups asked the FCC (see 2105030065) to use Communications Act authority to examine the closing of the network, by year-end. The more likely forum to examine the complaint is at DOJ, though the FCC could scope the shutdown, experts said. The California Public Utilities Commission could also investigate.
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from May 3-7 in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.