Customs and Trade Law Weekly Snapshot

Here is a recap of the latest customs and international trade law news:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

• CBP provides guidance on cybersecurity best practices to increase supply chain resiliency
  • The new guidance document makes recommendations on how to prevent, respond to, and recover from potential cyber-attacks on customs broker data systems, from proactively putting in place plans and preventative IT controls to resuming normal business operations upon system remediation.
• CBP’s ACE Portal is getting a major modernization upgrade, making it easier than ever to manage operations online.
• CBP released March 2023 monthly operational update. In March 2023, CBP:
  • Processed more than 2.7 million entry summaries valued at more than $274 billion
  • Identified 400 shipments valued at more than $122 million for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor
  • Seized 1,798 shipments that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $335 million
  • Completed 29 audits that identified $24.7 million in duties and fees owed to the U.S. government
• CBP issued cyber incident guidance for customs brokers which provides best practices to enhance preparedness for a cyber incident on a licensed customs broker data system.
• Modernized ACE Portal Broker Employee Reporting Requirements to be Satisfied by 4/14/2023
• CBP issues April 2023 reference material information for Customs Broker License Exam
• The National Commodity Specialist Division, Office of Trade, presented the next round of commodity-specific, educational webinars to support our internal and external stakeholders.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• The FDA published “Catching Up with Califf: FDA Actions are Reducing Exposure to Contaminants in Our Most Vulnerable Populations,” by Robert M. Califf, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs. Dr. Califf discusses the part of the FDA’s mission to help safeguard the food supply.
• FDA has updated the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Directory. The updated directory can be found at: Dietary Supplement Ingredient Directory.

 Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

• Microsoft to pay over $3M in civil penalties to resolve violations of exports controls and sanctions laws.
• BIS issued a memorandum for all export enforcement employees clarifying their policy regarding voluntary self-disclosures and disclosures concerning others.

United States Trade Representative (USTR)

• USTR announced stakeholder IPEF listening sessions for third negotiating round
• S. formally accepts WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies

Commerce Department

• SMEs push for increased resourcing for the Commerce Department’s Commercial service.
• Commerce initiated a scope inquiry on whether solid edge-glued boards that are finger-jointed and made of white birch measuring 8-feet in length and 5/8-inches thick are covered by the scope of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on wood mouldings and millwork products from the People’s Republic of China.
• Commerce initiated a scope inquiry on whether attachable bows are covered by the scope of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on twist ties from the People’s Republic of China.

Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)

• The CECC released a letter to Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Robert P. Silvers outlining concerns about the implementation and enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
  • The Chairs highlighted concerns about enforcement of “direct-to-consumer” goods from companies such as SHEIN and TEMU; the implementation of UFLPA’s “rebuttable presumption;” and the challenge of assessing goods made with Chinese inputs but shipped from third countries.
  • The Chairs also noted that the CECC will hold a hearing with a panel of experts on trade, labor trafficking, and supply chain mapping and asked Mr. Silvers, as well as other Administration officials, to testify at a future hearing.

Industry

• Amazon announced an anti-counterfeiting exchange to help eliminate counterfeits across the retail industry

If you have questions about these updates, contact our Diaz Trade Law attorneys at info@diaztradelaw.com or call us at 305-456-3830.

To receive an email notification whenever a new post is published, please subscribe to our weekly blog here.

Print