UPS acquired Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services (STTAS) on Nov. 30, UPS said in a Dec. 4 news release. STTAS, the consulting and trade compliance arm of the Sandler Travis law and lobbying firm, "will continue to provide its same services, from the same offices with use of the same personnel," STTAS said in a news release. It will also "continue to serve as a resource" for Sandler Travis "on joint client issues as it has in the past." Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America filed a petition for reconsideration with the FCC over recent agency rule changes for RF device imports. The FCC's rule removed Form 740 filing requirements for RF device imports but retained compliance requirements and said customs brokers can be a "responsible party" for import compliance. "We urge the FCC to reconsider the rule to ensure that the responsible party is a person positioned to know important details about the product and its supply chain," the NCBFAA said. The NCBFAA previously noted its objections during the rulemaking process, but the FCC went forward with the regulations, including language seen by the association as onerous. "To the extent customs brokers are included in this rule, the responsibilities assigned to brokers should be reasonably proportionate to their function in the supply chain," the NCBFAA said.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America filed a petition for reconsideration with the FCC over recent agency rule changes for RF device imports. The FCC's rule removed Form 740 filing requirements for RF device imports but retained compliance requirements and said customs brokers can be a "responsible party" for import compliance. "We urge the FCC to reconsider the rule to ensure that the responsible party is a person positioned to know important details about the product and its supply chain," the NCBFAA said. The NCBFAA previously noted its objections during the rulemaking process, but the FCC went forward with the regulations, including language seen by the association as onerous. "To the extent customs brokers are included in this rule, the responsibilities assigned to brokers should be reasonably proportionate to their function in the supply chain," the NCBFAA said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should put in place a “soft compliance” policy for its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) filing requirements when they take effect on Jan. 1, 2018, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in a letter to the agency citing concerns over trade community readiness. Despite “extensive outreach” by NOAA, customs brokers and their importer clients are having trouble getting the required data from other actors in the supply chain, and there has been insufficient time for testing in ACE, the NCBFAA said in the Dec. 1 letter.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:​

A revision to the timeline for implementing new in-bond regulations that was announced by CBP's Miami Assistant Port Director Kemisha Sherrell in a Nov. 30 information bulletin includes several big changes. Among the changes is a mention that Harmonized Tariff Schedule "requirements will be enforced on a date to be determined." The previous version of the schedule (see 1711290036) did not mention the HTS element, though the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America recently said it expects the requirement that HTS numbers be supplied on in-bond transmissions will be delayed by CBP (see 1711210022). The regulations took effect Nov. 27 (see 1709270027).

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 1 asking the agency to reconsider its treatment of a customs broker as a potential "responsible party" for radio frequency device import compliance. The FCC updated its regulations to remove Form 740 filing requirements for RF device imports, but retained compliance requirements and said a customs broker can be a "responsible party" for import compliance (see 1711010011). The new rules impose "unreasonable responsibilities on customs brokers," the NCBFAA said.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America filed a petition for reconsideration with the Federal Communications Commission over recent agency rule changes involving radiofrequency device imports.

Disagreement on de minimis thresholds is the one obstacle to closing an updated NAFTA customs chapter, an area where talks have progressed significantly during the ongoing renegotiation of the pact, according to three sources with knowledge of discussions. Advancement on the de minimis issue principally depends on Canada’s level of willingness to increase its $15 (USD) threshold, after Canadian negotiators declined to engage on the issue following contentious U.S. proposals pitched during the fourth negotiating round in Arlington, Virginia, two of the sources said.

The Federal Maritime Commission is issuing a proposed rule to lift non-vessel-operating common carrier service arrangement (NSA) filing and “essential terms” publication requirements, and to allow NVOCC negotiated rate arrangements (NRAs) to be modified at any time. Under the proposal, an NVOCC would be able to provide for shippers’ acceptance of an NRA by booking a shipment thereunder if the NVOCC incorporates a “prominent written notice” in each NRA or amendment, the FMC said. Specifically for NSAs, the FMC is proposing to exempt them from a requirement to file them in its Service Contract Filing System (SERVCON), and is proposing to except NVOCCs from the requirement to publish, in tariff format, the essential terms of any NSA.