On July 13, 2006, the leadership of the Senate Finance Committee introduced the Customs and Trade Facilitation Reauthorization Act (S. 3658). According to a Senate Finance Committee press release and sources, S. 3658 would authorize, and provide instructions for, adding personnel to all U.S. ports; restoring resources for trade facilitation and enforcement at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); requiring CBP to plan for the swift resumption of trade in the event of a transportation disruption that could harm the U.S. economy; requiring, within one year, an assessment of nonintrusive container scanning in foreign ports; streamlining and automating claim and collection of customs duty drawback; etc. (Senate Finance Committee press release, dated 07/14/06, available at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Gpress/2005/prg071406a.pdf.)
CBP CROSS Rulings
CBP issues binding advance rulings in connection with the importation of merchandise into the United States. They issue the rulings to give the trade community transparency of how CBP will treat a prospective import or carrier transaction. Common rulings include the tariff classification, country of origin, or free trade agreement applicability of merchandise, among other things. These rulings are available in CBP's Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) database.
In the July 12, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 29), CBP issued notices: (1) proposing to revoke a classification ruling on an audio visual laptop, and (2) revoking a classification ruling on two models of electrode steam humidifiers. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke, or is revoking, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a proposed rule that would amend 19 CFR Parts 4 and 122 concerning the electronic transmission requirements of passenger manifests for commercial aircraft arriving in and departing from the U.S., as well as passenger and crew manifests for commercial vessels departing from the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted the following new modified ACE EDI messages for Release 4 Truck Manifest:
In the July 5, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 28), CBP issued notices: (1) proposing to modify a classification ruling on a certain laser distance meter, and (2) modifying a classification ruling on a leather card case with a detachable money clip that has a built-in watch. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke, or is revoking, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
In the June 28, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 27), CBP issued notices: (a) revoking two classification rulings on beef jerky, and (b) modifying or revoking five classification rulings on certain base metal medallions and medals. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
The 'security counsel' column of The Journal of Commerce questions whether the C-TPAT Mandatory Portal will leave the "partnership" behind and regress to a version of the "automate or perish" days of Commissioner William Von Raab. The column speculates that the days of a voluntary trade security program may be numbered given the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) critical reports on C-TPAT and the installation of an enforcement-grounded commissioner. (JoC, dated 07/10/06, www.joc.com )
In the June 28, 2006 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 40, No. 27), CBP issued notices: (1) proposing to modify or revoke two classification rulings on certain batteries and battery chargers, and (2) revoking a classification ruling on a CD softcase with integrated loudspeaker. CBP states that it is also proposing to revoke, or is revoking, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a revised version of its informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Marking Requirements for Wearing Apparel.
On June 30, 2006, President Bush issued Proclamation 8034 to amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), etc., to implement the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) for Guatemala.