U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a notice announcing that the fourth tranche for the fiscal year 2008 specialty sugar tariff rate quota that opened on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 oversubscribed at opening moment. The pro rata percentage is 60.31951% or 0.6031951.
On May 19, 2008, the Federal Maritime Commission held an industry briefing with the Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association, which covered a number of current issues and concerns, including equipment shortages in the export trades and marine terminal issues. (FMC dated 05/21/08, available at http://www.fmc.gov/speeches/newsrelease.asp?SPEECH_ID=245 )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its "ACE on the Road" event schedule, which includes the following events:
On May 20, 2008, the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing on "Export Compliance: Ensuring Safety, Increasing Efficiency."
On May 15, 2008, the Los Angeles Harbor Commission approved the Clean Truck Program (CTP) Drayage Services Concession Agreement, which paves the way for the Port of Los Angeles to begin the transition to a Licensed Motor Carrier-based truck concession program beginning October 1, 2008.
The following Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and Court of International Trade cases on international trade issues were dated/decided during May 7 - 20, 2008:
At the April 2008 National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official spoke about the Action Plan for Import Safety1 and CBP's initiatives for improving import safety.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an Excel spreadsheet listing the reject reasons for April 2008 for CBP Form 5106 Importer ID input records, CBP Form 301 Customs bonds, bond applications, bond riders, bond terminations, etc.
The Census Bureau reports that the customs broker and freight forwarder association of Atlanta is sponsoring an Automated Export System Compliance Seminar and Workshop in Atlanta, GA on June 10 & 11, 2008. The U.S. Census Bureau and port officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will participate as presenters. (Census notice available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/aes/meetingsandpresentations/exportcompliance-atlanta-20080610.html )
At the April 2008 National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, U.S. government officials discussed the Automated Export System (AES) and other export related issues.