I feel like it was just 1994 and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was ratified and I was hitting the road advising importers how to take advantage of the duty-free provisions. What a feat! U.S. industry had to learn the Rules of Origin, Tariff Shifts, Regional Value Content requirements and how to complete…
In a previous blog, we discussed the concept of “reasonable care” as it applies to your trade compliance program. The focus was how export and import programs dovetail with many other areas of compliance, such as policies and procedures, valuation, Free Trade Agreements, and more. Today, I’d like to switch gears and talk about how…
Import classifications are the cornerstone of every shipment. Without a correct classification, you cannot determine duties or tariffs. With trade compliance professionals wearing so many hats, classification is often an afterthought – just a number quickly slapped on the paperwork to get it off the dock. The result? Inconsistent and potentially incorrect classifications. Here are…
If you’ve spent any time in trade compliance, you’ve probably come across the term “reasonable care.” But what, exactly, does that mean? The ambiguous nature of this phrase has caused many different interpretations over the years. Let’s review some practical ways to apply this principle to your global trade compliance program. The idea of “reasonable…
Late one Friday afternoon while speaking with a client who was about to leave on vacation, I heard the following question: “Do you know what a CF-28 Request for Information means?” Like many small- to medium-sized businesses struggling to understand the finer points of customs compliance, this client ran up against what is likely to be…
Just like cooler temperatures and falling leaves are the harbingers of autumn, so too are the notifications that will soon be arriving from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that your company has been selected for a Focused Assessment. What can you do to prepare for one of these assessments? How can you ensure that…