U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice on its Web site announcing that the next Customs Broker License Examination will be held on Monday, October 4, 2004.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued a notice requesting by July 15, 2004 a list of importers who wish to import leno mesh fabric produced or manufactured in China.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses to its Web page regarding the January 1, 2005 full integration (elimination of quotas) for textiles and textile apparel (textiles) manufactured in countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
On June 30, 2004, President Bush signed Proclamation 7800 which makes a number of changes to the country/Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number combinations eligible for duty-free benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, etc.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice regarding the appeals period for questions on the April 2004 Customs broker exam.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published its semi-annual regulatory agenda, which contains certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulatory rulemakings (rulemakings).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a general notice announcing that, effective June 28, 2004, it is concluding its Paperless Drawback Prototype (prototype).
The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) held a quarterly meeting on June 18, 2004 in Washington, DC to discuss and receive updates from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on various trade and customs issues.
On June 17, 2004, the House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee held a hearing on the budget authorization for fiscal year (FY) 2005 and FY 2006 for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as on other Customs issues. At this hearing, the subcommittee was addressed by two witnesses and six panelists.
On June 17, 2004, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4520, the American Jobs Creation Act, by a vote of 251 to 178. H.R. 4520 would, among other things, repeal the Foreign Sales Corporation/Extraterritorial Income Act (FSC/ETI) tax regime (which has been found by the World Trade Organization to be illegal), reduce the top corporate tax rate for domestic manufacturers and small corporations, make certain Customs-related changes, etc. (The Senate passed its own version of this legislation, the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act (S. 1637), on May 11, 2004. See ITT's Online Archives or 05/13/04 news, 04051399 1, for previous BP summary.)(House Ways and Means Committee press release, dated 06/17/04) available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/news.asp?formmode=release&id=228.)