CBP issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters:
The ongoing partial federal government shutdown is causing some confusion for the trade community on tariff classification. CBP’s last tariff update in the Automated Broker Interface came on Dec. 19 (see 1812190004), but the International Trade Commission has not yet issued its annual update to the online Harmonized Tariff Schedule (see 1901020021). Further complicating matters, a presidential proclamation making more changes to the HTS is now set for publication on Jan. 7 (see 1812270038).
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
All the quota openings for Jan. 2, including the Section 232 quotas on steel and aluminum, "appear to be operating normally," according to a National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America description of CBP's recent call with industry about trade processing during the federal government shutdown. "CBP stated that they are sorting through the funding lapse on legal and administrative processes, but that the trade should go ahead and meet any deadlines due to CBP," according to the NCBFAA. During the shutdown, "the ACE Help Desk and the ACE Accounts Service Desk are manned by contractors who are already funded," the NCBFAA said. "The Trade Remedy and Entry Summary mailboxes will also still be monitored." Rulings will not be issued during the shutdown, but CBP import specialists at the Centers of Excellence and Expertise are still at work and will be issuing and reviewing responses to CBP Forms 28 and 29. CBP Fines, Penalties and Forfeiture officers are also still on the job. Asked about other agencies, CBP said it is not its "intention to hold cargo, and they intend to conditionally release."
CBP will not be penalizing carriers that are unable to file Section 321 manifests for truck shipments due to "CBP system limitations," the agency said in a Dec. 31 CSMS message. CBP announced plans in November to require advance electronic manifest filing for all commercial trucks with Section 321 shipments starting Jan. 1 (see 1811050010). Technical issues within ACE limit "number of Section 321 shipments that can be manifested to 5,000 or less when transported by truck," CBP said. A correction will be in place by April 1, but "absent the technical correction within ACE, carriers transporting more than 5,000 shipments of Section 321 merchandise are unable to file an electronic manifest," CBP said. CBP may still pursue enforcement action "for truck carriers with 5,000 or less shipments if the manifest was not submitted electronically," it said.
CBP won't be able to implement the first group of Section 301 tariff exclusions until the impasse over government funding is resolved, the agency said in CSMS message. While the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued a notice on the exclusions (see 1812240010), CBP is unable to update ACE to reflect the exclusions, CBP said. "At the conclusion of the government funding hiatus, CBP will issue instructions on entry guidance and implementation," the agency said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks comments on its information collection on certifications of admissibility required at the time of entry for certain fish and fish products. Transmitted via ACE, the certifications are used to import fish and fish products that are not subject to import bans from countries where bans on other fish and fish products are in effect. The certifications are currently required for imports of certain fish and fish products from Mexico (see 1808270014). Comments are due Feb. 25, 2019.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 17-21 in case they were missed.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP posted a draft version of its updated Form 5106 (Create/Update Importer Identity Form) that was approved by the Office of Management and Budget, CBP said on the agency website. Revising Form 5106 has been an ongoing effort since 2014 (see 14100815) and has faced industry concerns that new data fields are too onerous (see 1507240009). CBP recently set a concrete deployment date of Feb. 9 for its upcoming ACE Form 5106 input process (see 1811130052). The automation will allow the collection of more detailed importer information, and provide for more streamlined processing by giving filers the ability to create, edit and update importer information via ACE, CBP has said. It will also allow CBP to support implementation of the importer of record database required by Section 114 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act.