The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule to amend 7 CFR Part 1150 in order to implement an assessment (tax) on imported dairy products, as required by the 2002 and 2008 Farm bills.
During the May 6, 2009 Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) meeting, COAC adopted a white paper on Account Based Processing (which would include what is currently known as Account Management).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued notice that a temporary restraining order implemented in November 2008 and converted into a preliminary injunction, has been preventing CBP from making timely distribution of funds available in fiscal year 2008 for Certain Frozen Warmwater Shrimp and Prawn from Ecuador, Brazil India, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (case numbers A-331-802, A-351-838, A-533-840, A-549-822, A-552-802, and A-570-893). However, on May 15, 2009 the Court of International Trade dismissed the injunction. Customs is currently processing distributions related to these cases, and distribution will be made as soon as possible. Claims remain subject to verification and audit by appropriate parties. (dated 05/18/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/priority_trade/add_cvd/cont_dump/warm_water_shrimp.xml )
CBP has posted the printable versions of eight "ACE Overview" fact sheets for brokers,importers, foreign trade zone operators, ocean and rail carriers, cartmen and lightermen, facilities operators, service providers, and truck carriers.
The National Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders' Association has filed an amicus curiae brief at the Court of International Trade in Lizarraga Customs Broker v. Customs and Border Protection ,et al.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to announce that it is revising the procedures for filing import and export documentation for certain fishery products to meet requirements of the SAFE Port Act of
The Treasury Department has published its spring 2009 semi-annual regulatory agenda for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently posted the April 2009 customs broker license exam and answer key. According to CBP sources, the pass rate for the April exam was 11.4%.
The Los Angeles Harbor Commission has approved up to $44.2 million in Port funding toward the 2009 Clean Truck Incentive Program at the Port of Los Angeles. The funds will be used to offer concessionaires in the Port of Los Angeles Clean Truck Program (CTP) incentives of up to $80,000 for each Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck they purchase. Port terminal operators or concessionaires can also receive up to 80 percent of negotiated cost for each electric truck they purchase for terminal or drayage truck use. (News release, dated 05/08/09, available at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/newsroom/2009_releases/news_050809_lng.asp)
CBP has posted the April 2009 customs broker exam and answer key to its Web site. According to CBP sources, the pass rate is not yet available. (See future issue of ITT for details when the pass rate becomes available.)(Exam and Key, posted 05/06/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/broker/broker_exam/exam_and_key_downloads/)