The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America will use lobbying firm Whitmer & Worrall as Washington counsel, the association said in a Nov. 21 email. “Whitmer & Worrall is honored to support NCBFAA in representing the business of customs brokers, forwarders and OTI's, as transportation facilitators and logistics professionals," said Gabe Pellathy, partner at Whitmer & Worrall. "We look forward to achieving results for NCBFAA members through our collaboration including strategic planning, issues management and stakeholder engagement." Jon Kent, who previously lobbied for the NCBFAA, is retiring (see 1909030030).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its fall 2019 regulatory agenda for CBP. The only new trade-related rulemaking included is a proposed requirement for the U.S. Postal Service to transmit advance electronic information to CBP for international mail shipments. That rule is a result of the STOP Act, or Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, signed by President Donald Trump in October 2018 (see 1810240052). CBP is targeting December to issue an interim final rule, it said.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America will use lobbying firm Whitmer & Worrall as Washington counsel, the association said in a Nov. 21 email. “Whitmer & Worrall is honored to support NCBFAA in representing the business of customs brokers, forwarders and OTI's, as transportation facilitators and logistics professionals," said Gabe Pellathy, partner at Whitmer & Worrall. "We look forward to achieving results for NCBFAA members through our collaboration including strategic planning, issues management and stakeholder engagement." Jon Kent, who previously lobbied for the NCBFAA, is retiring (see 1909030030).
The Treasury Department published its fall 2019 regulatory agenda for CBP. The agenda includes a new rulemaking that would amend CBP's regulations to get rid of the “onerous and inefficient paper-based bond application and approval processes," it said. The agency will try to issue a proposed rulemaking rule by March next year, it said. "Moving forward, the proposed amendments would implement the successful National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test for electronic bonds ('eBonds')," it said. "The proposed amendments would require all bonds to be filed by the sureties using an electronic data interchange (EDI) or e-mail."
A recent Federal Maritime Commission proposed rule would lead to a much fairer enforcement process for alleged violations of the Shipping Act, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in comments submitted to the agency. The proposal would create a process for notifying a target of an investigation and allowing it to respond, and ensure that FMC commissioners see the target’s statement before deciding how to proceed. “As the members of the Commission would necessarily be involved at the outset, it seems more likely that potential enforcement cases would focus on issues that have a material adverse effect on trade or competition and minimize the initiation of cases that are based on relatively minor or technical infringements of regulations,” the NCBFAA said. The proposal would also make it “less likely that there would be an anecdotal approach to enforcement where only [the Bureau of Enforcement] and a respondent know what the issues in any prosecution actually involved.” But FMC should go beyond its proposal and create penalty and mitigation guidelines for Shipping Act violations, the trade group said.
A recent Federal Maritime Commission proposed rule would lead to a much fairer enforcement process for alleged violations of the Shipping Act, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in comments submitted to the agency. The proposal would create a process for notifying a target of an investigation and allowing it to respond, and ensure that FMC commissioners see the target’s statement before deciding how to proceed. “As the members of the Commission would necessarily be involved at the outset, it seems more likely that potential enforcement cases would focus on issues that have a material adverse effect on trade or competition and minimize the initiation of cases that are based on relatively minor or technical infringements of regulations,” the NCBFAA said. The proposal would also make it “less likely that there would be an anecdotal approach to enforcement where only [the Bureau of Enforcement] and a respondent know what the issues in any prosecution actually involved.” But FMC should go beyond its proposal and create penalty and mitigation guidelines for Shipping Act violations, the trade group said.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Dec. 4, beginning at 1 p.m., in Washington, CBP said in a notice.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Nov. 4-8 in case they were missed.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet Dec. 4, beginning at 1 p.m., in Washington, CBP said in a notice.
The Canadian Society of Customs Brokers, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America and the Mexican Confederation of Customs Broker Associations (CAAAREM) signed a joint strategy agreement on Oct. 29, the NCBFAA said in an email to members. The groups agreed to "promote data harmonization and alignment" exchange implementation information about the revised NAFTA and "foster increased compliance with international trade agreements through shared communication with trade chain partners." The associations also agreed to "enhance and raise awareness of the role of customs brokers, including exploration of harmonization of [Authorized Economic Organization (AEO)]/trusted trader programs and mutual recognition arrangements." Broker training and professional development standards will be another goal for the groups in 2020.