U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a notice on its Web site announcing that the next Customs Broker License Examination will be held on Monday, April 4, 2005.
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.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a memorandum containing its instructions on the filing and substantiation of claims for preferential tariff treatment made under the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (UAFTA), as highlighted below.
American Shipper reports that on January 7, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) distributed a third draft of new C-TPAT security standards for importers to a select group of importers and trade associations, and have asked for feedback by Friday, January 14, 2005. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com )
In the January 5, 2005 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 2), CBP issued notices: (a) proposing to revoke or modify eight classification rulings as well as modify the analysis in seven classification rulings regarding pumpkin carving sets, (b) revoking a classification ruling on plastic light clips and hooks. CBP states that it is also revoking, or proposing to revoke, any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published its semi-annual regulatory agenda, which contains certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulatory rulemakings (rulemakings).
In the December 29, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 39, No. 1), CBP issued notices: (a) revoking a classification ruling on men's shirts of bamboo fabric, and (b) revoking a classification ruling on two chemically modified starch products. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the duties China will levy on certain categories of apparel exports (coats, skirts, knit shirts, nonknit shirts, pajamas and underwear) seem unlikely to satisfy the governments in the U.S. or Europe intent on protecting their industries from an expected flood of Chinese-made garments. The article states that almost all categories will have duties of just 20 fen per item, with several persons quoted as stating that the tax (which Chinese companies can absorb and/or pass on to customers) is just a political or token measure, and will do little to slow exports. (WJS, dated 12/28/04, www.wsj.com )
In the December 22 and 29, 2004 issues of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 52 and Vol. 39, No. 1), CBP issued notices: (a) revoking two classification rulings on homeopathic products, and (b) revoking a classification ruling on small chocolate lentils. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a 2004 year end review fact sheet which highlights accomplishments and statistics for various DHS agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), etc. (DHS fact sheet, available at )
An Op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) urges departing Commerce Secretary Don Evans to end the International Trade Administration's (ITA's) practice of "zeroing" when calculating antidumping (AD) margins. The op-ed contends that eliminating this practice would reduce the number of foreign companies subject to AD duties. (WSJ Pub 11/18/04, www.wallstreetjournal.com)