The Food and Drug Administration posted its updated list of filer evaluation outcomes dated Sept. 4, 2018. The frequency of filer evaluations depends on the number of lines filed by the company. An outcome of "paperless" means FDA has determined that electronic filing is appropriate, while "corrective action plan" means FDA has found an elevated error rate and has directed the filer to fix the issue, and "dual-mode filer" means the company has failed to implement corrective action plans and has been returned to dual-mode (paper and electronic) filing. The following filer evaluation outcomes were updated in FDA's latest list:
CBP could begin processing drawback claims as soon as October if all goes according to the plans of a group of customs brokers and importers challenging CBP’s failure to meet a February deadline, said John Peterson of Neville Peterson, who represents those brokers and importers in the case at the Court of International Trade.
The House could pass the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill in the first week or so following a return from recess after Labor Day "if they think that they can get it passed and get it through the president to sign," said Jon Kent, a lobbyist for the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America with Kent & O'Connor. One potential issue could be inconsistency concerns within the administration over tariff cuts on many goods that come from China as other tariffs are being added under Section 301 and other trade remedies, Kent said.
A “proof of concept” test set to begin in September will allow brainstorming and early stage testing on the use of blockchain technology in processes for the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Central America Free Trade Agreement, Vincent Annunziato, director of Customs and Border Protection’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, told reporters last week at the CBP 2018 Trade Symposium in Atlanta. CBP will consider not only the technical capabilities of blockchain and any business benefits but also whether use of the technology fits with the agency’s regulatory and policy scheme. CBP will look at whether blockchain can be used in country of origin verification procedures, so the supplier can send origin information directly to CBP and the importer doesn’t have to worry about “tracking a piece of paper” from the carrier to the broker and into its own files. By the end of 2018, once the proof of concept is completed, CBP and trade community participants will put together an assessment and make recommendations based on the results of testing. CBP was planning to launch the test this fall after the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee identified NAFTA and CAFTA origin procedures as a viable starting point. Annunziato distinguished the proof of concept from a pilot: proof of concept is intended to see if new technology works for specified uses, and once it’s complete the proof of concept will be taken down. Should CBP find a given use of blockchain promising, he said, it may then create a “more robust” pilot that works “within the confines” of any regulations and policies that needed to be changed and could lead to operational changes.
A “proof of concept” test set to begin in September will allow brainstorming and early stage testing on the use of blockchain technology in processes for the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Central America Free Trade Agreement, Vincent Annunziato, director of Customs and Border Protection’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, told reporters last week at the CBP 2018 Trade Symposium in Atlanta. CBP will consider not only the technical capabilities of blockchain and any business benefits but also whether use of the technology fits with the agency’s regulatory and policy scheme. CBP will look at whether blockchain can be used in country of origin verification procedures, so the supplier can send origin information directly to CBP and the importer doesn’t have to worry about “tracking a piece of paper” from the carrier to the broker and into its own files. By the end of 2018, once the proof of concept is completed, CBP and trade community participants will put together an assessment and make recommendations based on the results of testing. CBP was planning to launch the test this fall after the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee identified NAFTA and CAFTA origin procedures as a viable starting point. Annunziato distinguished the proof of concept from a pilot: proof of concept is intended to see if new technology works for specified uses, and once it’s complete the proof of concept will be taken down. Should CBP find a given use of blockchain promising, he said, it may then create a “more robust” pilot that works “within the confines” of any regulations and policies that needed to be changed and could lead to operational changes.
A federal judge sentenced a customs broker to 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, over a federal excise tax evasion scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida said in a news release. Alberto Rodriguez, of Briarwood, New York, pleaded guilty in June to charges involving false entry summaries to misrepresent tobacco excise taxes due on large quantities of cigars (see 1806110013). Rodriguez also must pay $503,681.15 in restitution to CBP, equal to the estimated amount of tobacco excise taxes he evaded.
CBP is seeing an increase in bond insufficiency related to new sections 301 and 232 tariffs and expects that trend to continue, the agency told Colleen Clarke, vice president-business development at Roanoke Insurance Group. The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of American said in an Aug. 20 email to members that CBP told Clarke that the agency "is urging brokers and sureties to be proactive in determining bond sufficiency." Roanoke Trade mentioned the issue during a webinar last month (see 1807260011).
Coldwell Banker took a tempered view of the smart home in an August newsletter sent by agents to prospective home buyers. The newsletter featured an article that first appeared in real estate industry trade publication RISMedia in June, titled “Smart Homes: The Way of the Future or a Risk to Homeowners?” The article posed the question to prospective home buyers: “What is the true cost of this convenience?”
CBP needs to give "immediate attention" to multiple unanswered questions related to bonding in the Air Cargo Advance Screening rules, the International Trade Surety Association said in comments filed in response to the ACAS interim rule that took effect in June (see 1806110043). "The Interim rule is silent on the formula to be used to set bond amounts, whether there is a minimum bond amount or whether Single Transaction bonds may be used to secure ACAS obligations, whether multiple penalties may be claimed against the same principal and/or multiple principals on the same transaction," the ITSA said. "We recommend that these issues be addressed immediately with the surety industry and with other stakeholders."
ATLANTA -- A “proof of concept” set to begin in September will provide for brainstorming and early-stage testing on the use of blockchain technology in processes related to NAFTA and the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, told a group of reporters at the CBP 2018 Trade Symposium on Aug. 14. CBP will consider not only the technical capabilities of blockchain and any business benefits but also whether use of the technology fits with the agency’s regulatory and policy scheme.