International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Nov. 19-23 in case they were missed.
Dec. 3 Judicial Conference of the Court of International Trade, Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York, N.Y. -- http://www.cit.uscourts.gov/Judicial_Conferences/17th_Judicial_Conference/17th_Jud_Conf_Index.htm
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices for Nov. 30 (Note that some may also be given separate headlines.)
A Mexican drug trafficking organization has been declared a drug kingpin, and a San Diego customs broker will spend eight years in prison, in connection with a scheme to illegally import and distribute ephedrine for use in making methamphetamine, said Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The customs broker, Antonio Gonzalez of San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, also forfeited most of the $4 million seized in the investigation. Gonzalez was sentenced in 2011.
Statutory Changes for Part 111 Rewrite Hoped to be Avoided, but 'Yet to be Decided,' Says CBP's Gina
The need for Congressional action as part of CBP's rewrite of regulations for customs brokers hasn't been decided, said Al Gina, CBP Assistant Commissioner in the Office of International Trade. Gina discussed the CFR 19 Part 111 rewrite with reporters following the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium Nov. 28. The agency is in the early stages of revising its regulations to reflect changes to customs filing and business practices. Statutory changes through legislation would likely slow some of the changes to the regulations.
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) hopes to see movement on two major pieces of customs-related legislation by the end of the year, he said at the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium Nov. 27. Brady hopes to introduce a customs reauthorization bill this year and expects a miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) “shortly,” he said.
CBP posted details on how to apply to participate in its reconciliation prototype. It said applicants should include the following information in their written application:
CBP and customs brokers are working together to review and modify the agency's previously released notice describing filing and other operations at the Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs), said Valerie Neuhart, director of industry and account management at CBP. Neuhart spoke on a panel Nov. 27 on CEEs at the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium. There's also still some uncertainty on exactly how CEEs will handle importers that import goods across several industry areas, stakeholders sad.
Federal Maritime Commission said the following have filed applications for a license as a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVO) and/or Ocean Freight Forwarder (OFF)-Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) pursuant to section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984. The FMC also gave notice of the filing of applications to amend an existing OTI license or the qualifying individual for a license. Interested persons may contact the Office of Transportation Intermediaries, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, D.C. 20573, at 202-523-5843 or at OTI@fmc.gov.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Nov. 27 proposed rule to amend import inspection regulations for meat, poultry, and egg products would allow for electronic submission of import inspection applications, foreign inspection certificates, and foreign establishment certificates through the Public Health Information System (PHIS) Import Component. But FSIS is proposing other changes that will affect importers. The agency is more strictly defining the time frame for prior notification of imported products, ceasing to accept foreign inspection certificate replacement guarantees for entry into the U.S. when the certificate has been lost or contains errors, and said it will work with CBP to monitor “failures to present” for import reinspection. Comments on the proposed rule are due Jan. 28.