Category: Trade Compliance

On July 26th, U.S. government agencies published a “tri-seal note” describing the Voluntary Self-Disclosure (VSD) policies applicable to export controls.  This is the second joint document issued by three key U.S. regulators – the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and…

Not surprisingly, last month’s G7 Summit solidified the persistent and unified commitment in support of Ukraine through new sanctions and export restrictions on Russia and Belarus.  The purpose remains the same – the G7 countries’ continuation to cripple Russia’s ability to source goods and technology required for the war in Ukraine. This results in the…

This month, U.S. authorities imposed a $300 million civil penalty against Seagate Technology over its lucrative relationship with blacklisted Chinese technology firm Huawei Technologies.  The penalty was to resolve alleged violations of export controls related to selling hard disk drives.  The $300 million settlement announced by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is…

In the final scene of Back to the Future, Doc Brown prepares to take his time-travelling DeLorean into the future.  Marty warns Doc that they don’t have enough roadway to get the machine up to 88 mph for the time jump.  And then Brown famously says:  “Roads?  Where we’re going we don’t need roads.”  Cue…

In the Chinese zodiac, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit.  The rabbit symbolizes many different attributes, including cautiousness and self-protection.  During a recent gathering of trade compliance professionals, I heard someone mention that 2023 is “the year of export enforcement.”  I must say that I agree.  These two types of “years” seem to fit…

Trade Compliance Specialists juggle many tasks to ensure their company’s exported and imported goods remain compliant. Their hard work helps uphold the organization’s reputation and ensures the global supply chain is uninterrupted by compliance issues.  So when you start a new compliance job, you’ll have to hit the ground running to keep your compliance tasks…

Here Are The Red Flags You Must Look For When Choosing A Trade Compliance Consulting Firm From a robust compliance program to consistent risk management practices, you go to great lengths to keep your operations compliant when importing or exporting goods, technology, or information for your business. The U.S. government demands that your company comply…

It’s been a year since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.  During that time, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has implemented sweeping sanctions, export controls and other measures against Russia.  This includes adding more than 2,500 targets to the SDN List and sanctioning 80% of Russian banks. Now, OFAC is targeting…

“We don’t export anything.” This is something we hear all the time.  Sometimes, it’s followed by: “Well, we do ship stuff to Canada.  Does that count?”  (Pro Tip:  Yes, it counts.)  But other times, our clients really don’t put something in a box and send it to a foreign country.  Yet, they still need help….

Find Out How To Manage The Risks Of Outsourcing Trade compliance is a massive undertaking. Companies involved in exporting and importing goods have a lot on the line if they violate trade regulations. According to the Bureau of Industry and Security, export fines can reach $1 million per violation for criminal cases and $250,000 or…