U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Archives - Page 79 of 102

Why Pre-Compliance is a MUST

If the thought of monetary penalties, shipment delays, detentions or seizures of merchandise keep you up at night, then this article is for you. First, it’s quite easy to establish a U.S. company, pick (what you hope is) a terrific customs broker, file Form 5106 with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to request your importer number, pick a surety (there are many, your broker will likely sway you to their favorite) and WALLAH! Right? Wrong. No one sits you down during this process to say, wait, importing can be great, but, this is also a LOT of responsibility. Your company (and SOMETIMES even YOU) have liability and a burden when importing. This article will walk you through YOUR burden as an importer, how CBP can question your imports, and how penalties can ensue and what you should be doing about it, in advance!

Importer’s Burden

The best resource (when you’re ready to read 211 pages) is the “Importing into the U.S.” “A Guide for Commercial Importers” by CBP (last revision in 2006). The guide discusses the Trade Act of 2002 and the Customs Modernization Act (the “Mod Act”) and the responsibilities that came to fruition for importers as a result. A key feature of the Mod Act is a “relationship between CBP and importers that is characterized by informed compliance”. What this means is now there is a shared responsibility between CBP and the import community, wherein CBP communicates its requirements to the importer, and the importer, […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T11:27:16-04:00April 7, 2016|Customs Broker, Customs Expert, Events, Expert, HTSUS, Import, International Law, International Trade, Pre-compliance, Speaking, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|5 Comments

Build Your Own ‘People to People’ Mission & More Cuba Changes

If you have been following our Cuba updates, you’ll note we’ve been busy. A full listing of all of our posts to get you caught up are all the way at the bottom. Here’s the Cliff Notes version:

On December 17, 2014, President Obama made a historic announcement: “Today, the United States is taking historic steps to chart a new course in our relations with Cuba and to further engage and empower the Cuban people.”
By January 16, 2015, both the U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended its Cuban Assets Control Regulations, and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amended the Export Administration Regulations with a “Support for the Cuban People” license exception. Both OFAC and BIS’s new rules were effective as of January 16, 2015.
OFAC and BIS issued additional new rules on June 15, 2015, September 21, 2015, January 27, 2016 and again today!

As far as travel goes, the NY Times posted their travel tips, but, here are MY travel tips to you:

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By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T11:25:36-04:00March 16, 2016|Best Practices, Cuba, Customs Expert, Expert, Export, International Business, International Law, International Trade, International Travel, U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Department of State (DOS), U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)|2 Comments

Diaz Trade Consulting Partners with 305 Cargo and SBDC on Compliance Seminars

Diaz Trade Consulting partners with leading experts to bring you compliance seminars catered to your international business.

COMPLIANCE SEMINARS FOR INDIVIDUALS & SMALL BUSINESSES

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By Jennifer Diaz|2016-03-17T17:46:23-04:00February 17, 2016|Customs Broker, Customs Expert, Events, Expert, Import, Intellectual Property Rights, International Business, International Law, International Trade, IPR, Trademarks and Logos, Pre-compliance|0 Comments

Ongoing Hoverboard Concerns

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Address Ongoing Litigation & Seizure of one of the hottest toys, the Hoverboard.

Hoverboards, as they are commonly known, are self-balancing two-wheeled electric scooters. They are powered by controversial rechargeable batteries that have recently garnered attention for malfunctioning, causing devices to catch fire and destroy homes. The lithium-ion batteries have been known to overheat, catch fire, and explode without warning.

Several airlines have begun to prohibit transportation of the boards aboard aircraft, due to safety concerns. Amazon.com is placing safety first and offering consumers that have purchased a hoverboard from Amazon a full refund. Hoverboards are also facing additional litigation from Mark Cuban, who potentially has a patent infringement claim against Walmart for selling the devices.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, “The federal government continues to work in close coordination on this serious issue. Officials from CPSC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration are regularly sharing information and insights with a common goal of taking whatever steps are necessary to prevent injuries and property damage from fires and falls.” They recommend having a fire extinguisher handy and keeping the device far away from combustible materials while charging. There are not currently any safety standards in place for hoverboards, which would require proof of sound design, manufacturing, and quality control processes. This lack of regulation adds to the danger […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2016-01-27T16:57:49-05:00January 27, 2016|Best Practices, China, Import, Intellectual Property Rights, International Business, International Trade, International Travel, Pre-compliance, Seizure, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|1 Comment

Business with Cuba – What’s Legal and What’s Not?

President Obama announced that the U.S. will lay out “a new course in our relations with Cuba.” This could mean new changes for very specific sectors at first – travel, financial services, telecom/communications, and companies that make and sell building materials and agricultural equipment. The current Sanctions in place will be eased for those engaged in trade and commerce. Does this mean that Cuban cigars will be readily available for U.S. consumers? No. The specific details of how this will occur are not in place yet, however they should be in the coming weeks. This does not mean the Sanctions imposed by the Cuban Assets Control Regulations issued in 1963 will end (that would take Congressional approval), they will just be eased in the following ways. Read on for the full details. […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T10:57:47-04:00December 17, 2015|Export, Import, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)|0 Comments

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