July 2014

Time to Register – 2014 C-TPAT Conference

It’s officially time to register for the 2014 CTPAT National Conference.

Despite substantial scrutiny and restriction due to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidelines for government sponsored conferences, a scaled back CTPAT conference will go on. This year’s theme will be “CTPAT: Partnering in Supply Chain Security and Facilitation for the 21^st Century. Here’s what you need to know:

Where: The 2014 CTPAT National Conference will be held in San Antonio, TX at the JW Marriott in San Antonio Hill Country.

When: August 26 and 27 OR 27, and 28, 2014. As in recent years, the format will be a workshop day on August 26th, and general session day on August 27th and a second workshop day on August 28th. When registering for the event, you will be asked to select either session A (workshop day of August 26th and general session day of August 27th) or session B (general session day of August 27th and workshop day of August 28th).

Registration: July 23rd, 2014 at 1200 Noon EST. Registration will be first come, first serve as it has been in the past. The registration fee is $104.00 U.S. dollars and must be made online prior to arriving at the seminar. The links for registration are:

Session A – August 26 and 27

Session B – August 27 and 28

Here is the schedule:

Schedule
Monday, […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-08T16:45:18-04:00July 22, 2014|CTPAT, Import, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments

Exports from China are on the Rise – What is your IPR Plan?

On April 11, amid a high demand for soccer apparel in preparation for FIFA World Cup, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized counterfeit soccer apparel shipped from China to the Port of Savannah. The value of the seized goods exceeded $1 million in manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). The apparel seized contained counterfeit trademarks of the following professional soccer clubs: Arsenal, Barcelona, Celtic, Chelsea, Mexican Federation, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid. Little did they know they should have tried to import Germany’s soccer club’s apparel. “You look at that Chelsea patch, and it just looks off,” said Steve Sapp, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “The last B is smaller than the rest, and that’s the kind of thing you often see with these counterfeit goods. Our investigators know the signs that these goods aren’t real.” Both images are provided below for you to see for yourself – check out the extra space at the top, and the “u” in club.

This month, CBP again seized a shipment of counterfeit soccer apparel from China. This time, the shipment arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the apparel consisted of Brazilian, Italian and Argentinian national soccer clubs’ uniforms. “The trade in these illegitimate goods is associated with smuggling and other criminal activities, and often funds criminal enterprises”, stated Area Port Director Juan Hurtado. The apparel shipped to Puerto Rico violated the intellectual property rights (IPRs) of Puma, Adidas and Nike.

With exports from China rising, protecting intellectual […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-08T16:46:57-04:00July 17, 2014|China, China Trade War, Intellectual Property Rights, International Business, International Law, International Trade, Seizure, Supply Chain, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments

FDA Helps Small Businesses Get Ready for New “Gluten-Free” Labeling Requirements

Wheat Stalk 100% Gluten Free Label Vector Illustration

According to the FDA, approximately 3 million people (or 1 in 133 people) in the United States have celiac disease (CD), including me. While there is currently no cure for CD, unfortunately, individuals who have the disease are advised to follow a strict gluten-free diet. Over time, the continued ingestion of gluten by Celiacs triggers the production of antibodies that attack and damage the lining of the small intestine. Such damage hinders the absorption of nutrients, which leads to an array of severe health issues. This makes truthful gluten-free labeling essential for a Celiac’s survival, and celiac’s like me ecstatic that the “gluten-free” claim will be enforced, come August 5, 2014. If you manufacturer a food product, and are not ready to comply, read on.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-03-26T14:09:13-04:00July 8, 2014|Best Practices, FDA Issues, Food, FSMA, Gluten Free|0 Comments

White House’s OMB Intervenes to Weaken FDA’s Proposed Regulation of E-Cigs

On April 24, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) issued a proposed regulation which would subject the currently unregulated e-cigarette industry to FDA regulation under the authority of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The proposed rule put e-cigarettes with a list of products FDA “deemed” tobacco products, and as such, subject to the FD&C Act. OMB intervened to weaken FDA’s original proposal.

If the proposed rule became final – e-cigarettes (and the other products “deemed” tobacco products) would have been subject to:

(1) Enforcement action against products determined to be adulterated and misbranded;
(2) required submission of ingredient listing and reporting of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) for all tobacco products;
(3) required registration and product listing for all tobacco products;
(4) prohibition against use of modified risk descriptors (e.g., “light,” “low,” and “mild” descriptors) and claims unless FDA issues an order permitting their use;
(5) prohibition on the distribution of free samples;
(6) premarket review requirements;
(7) Requirement for a minimum age of purchase; (what this will do to online sales was yet to be determined)
(8) health warnings for product packages and advertisements; and
(9) prohibition of vending machine sales, unless the vending machine is located in a facility where the retailer ensures that individuals under 18 years of age are prohibited from entering at any time.

After analyzing the proposed rule and its potential economic effects, the White House’s Office of Management and […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-08T16:50:18-04:00July 1, 2014|E-Cigarette, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|2 Comments

Time to Register – 2014 C-TPAT Conference

Schedule

Exports from China are on the Rise – What is your IPR Plan?

FDA Helps Small Businesses Get Ready for New “Gluten-Free” Labeling Requirements

White House’s OMB Intervenes to Weaken FDA’s Proposed Regulation of E-Cigs

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