Is it just me, or does it seem like every day there is new activity through the Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement (BIS-OEE)? OEE seems to be everywhere, fixated with ghoulish intensity on raising a graveyard of penalties. Let’s take a closer look at some examples and review the highlights from…
It was 6:13 p.m. The warehouse was quiet. The phones had stopped ringing. The last container had been unloaded, and everyone had gone home. Everyone… except the person in Trade Compliance. She was reviewing old entry records when she noticed something strange. One HTS classification didn’t look right. Then another. And another. She pulled the…
Halloween is the time of year for scary stories. Haunted houses, binging all the horror flicks, and exchanging ghost stories. For anyone working in trade compliance, some of the scariest stories don’t involve ghosts at all. They involve an export that left the building without the right authorization, a customer who turned out to be…
Remember when customs compliance was mostly about getting the classification, value, and country of origin right? Those were simpler times. CBP is considering new requirements that could give the agency much greater visibility into your supply chain, including who manufactured your goods, who sold them, who shipped them, where they came from, and what information was…
In Part 1, we looked at the changing USMCA landscape and why businesses need to take a closer look at rules of origin, Chinese-origin inputs, transshipment, and the difference between being “assembled in Mexico” and actually qualifying for USMCA treatment. Now let’s talk about another uncomfortable reality: USMCA eligibility does not automatically make every tariff…
If you import from Mexico or Canada, manufacture in North America, or move goods across the U.S.-Mexico-Canada border, you have probably noticed something uncomfortable: The future of USMCA is no longer a “wait and see” issue. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement was designed to strengthen North American trade, encourage regional manufacturing, and create a framework for…
Did you know that the anti-boycott laws are part of export compliance? If not, you are not alone, as this is often an overlooked due diligence requirement necessary to comply with the U.S. export laws. Understanding what U.S. anti-boycott compliance means and how it affects day-to-day operations is key to adhering to the requirements. These…
Last week, I wrote about the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports Interim Final Rule and why businesses shouldn’t let complicated Federal Register language scare them away from potentially valuable export opportunities. Well…things just got more interesting. BIS has now issued its final rule, and there are some important…
Have you ever read a Federal Register notice and immediately felt overwhelmed by terms like “Interim Final Rule” (IFR), “License Exception STA”, or “Country Group A:1”? You’re not alone. Many businesses stop reading at the legal jargon, which means they often miss opportunities that could make exporting easier and more competitive. One recent example is…
Quick Facts The United States has announced a significant trade action that will affect businesses importing goods from Brazil. Following a Section 301 investigation, the U.S. government will impose an additional 25% tariff on most Brazilian imports, while exempting selected products that are considered essential to the U.S. economy. The tariff applies to goods entered…