Snapshot

This week’s recap of the latest customs and international trade news:   

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• CBP submitted a CAPE update to the Court of International Trade (CIT) on November 10. Highlights: 
  • 321,021 CAPE declarations submitted 
  • $138B refunds accepted for processing 
  • 44M entries covered by CAPE declarations  
  • 18,072 refunds rejected due to incomplete ACH information 
• CBP published several documents regarding the new foreign importer of record requirements on the ACE CATAIR webpage.  
• CBP published a new FAQ stating that a significant amount of unencumbered real property in the United States meets CBP’s definition of U.S. importer of record in its recent interim final rule. 
• CBP deactivated over 400,000 importer of record accounts between Sept. 11 and Oct. 16 due to inactivity – reporting by International Trade Today.  
• CBP published a CSMS message explaining that new electronic validation checks may reject entries and entry summaries beginning January 5, 2027, when foreign […]
  

This week’s recap of the latest customs and international trade news:   

 Administration  

• President Trump told reporters that the Administration has “the concept of a very good deal with Canada” and indicated that a final trade deal could be signed in the coming weeks. 

 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

• CBP released an interim final rule on November 5, 2026 under which a foreign importer of record must be validated under the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT), or use a CTPAT-validated customs broker, to file formal and informal entries beginning January 5, 2027. 
• CBP announced a pilot test of a new centralized ACE case management system. The Client Representative Technical Assistance Portal (CRTAP) will provide a centralized location and standardized method for the trade community to submit requests and for client reps to resolve technical issues. The pilot, which will begin Dec. 4 and run for 45 days, is limited to nine participants. 
• CBP officers at the Port of Louisville stopped a shipment containing 460 counterfeit watches. Had these watches been genuine, the shipment would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of over $66 million. 

Courts 

Another busy month in international trade news. Here’s the roundup:   

Administration:    

• President Trump issued an executive order implementing provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The order provides for a 500% additional duty on Russian-origin goods and 100% additional duties on goods from certain countries that purchase Russian oil or natural gas or facilitate sanctions evasion.  
• In an October 22 proclamation, the Trump administration declined to impose additional Section 232 tariffs on wind turbines and their components despite findings that the imports pose a cybersecurity threat, leaving existing 50% Section 232 tariffs on applicable steel, aluminum, and copper products unchanged.  

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)         

• Phase three of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) refund system was deployed by CBP on October 6. Phase 3 covers finally liquidated entries from importers that filed suit at the CIT and for which the Court has ordered reliquidation.  
• CBP issued a proposed rule that would create a framework for low-value imports after the end of de minimis and formally establishing new informal Entry Type 13 for merchandise entering through the mail. Comments are due December 7.  

This week’s recap of the latest customs and international trade news:  

Administration 

• President Trump issued an executive order implementing provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The order provides for a 500% additional duty on Russian-origin goods and 100% additional duties on goods from certain countries that purchase Russian oil or natural gas or facilitate sanctions evasion. 
• In an October 22 proclamation, the Trump administration declined to impose additional Section 232 tariffs on wind turbines and their components despite findings that the imports pose a cybersecurity threat, leaving existing 50% Section 232 tariffs on applicable steel, aluminum, and copper products unchanged. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

• CBP published a final rule in the October 22, 2026 Federal Register that moves the compliance date for the postal rule’s formal entry requirements from October 22, 2026, to January 20, 2027. 
• CBP modified its Entry Type 13 test so filers can submit an electronic mail entry before their Partner Government Agency (PGA) data is complete.
• CBP officers in Norfolk, Virginia seized 2,772 ceramic sinks that bore a counterfeit certification mark. The shipment was appraised at $462,501 manufacturer’s suggested retail […]
  

This week’s recap of the latest customs and international trade news:  

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

• CBP announced the extension of the compliance date for new informal entry procedures for international mail from Oct. 22, 2026, to Jan. 20, 2027. 
• CBP officers in Indianapolis intercepted a shipment containing 300 counterfeit Audemars Piguet watches. Had these items been genuine, the shipment would have had a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $12 million.
• CBP announced email or text message verification will be required for Automated Clearinghouse refund information changes made in ACE starting Oct. 10. 

Department of Justice (DOJ)  

• DOJ announced that a Bosnian national was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to export and sanctions violations involving an attempted transaction for North Korean anti-aircraft missiles.  

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)  

• The FMC is proposing fees on all Spanish-flagged vessels after an investigation revealed the government of Spain created unfavorable shipping conditions for U.S.-flagged vessels.  
• The FMC published its latest Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) license applicant update, identifying companies seeking new ocean freight forwarder and NVOCC licenses, […]