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Whether you're a business owner, financial professional, or anyone transacting globally, understanding the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is crucial. OFAC plays a vital role in enforcing economic and trade sanctions against targeted individuals, organizations, and countries.

In the 2008 comedy Burn After Reading, Brad Pitt and Francis McDormand play two clueless gym employees who try (and fail) to make money selling government secrets.  And while bribery, espionage and money laundering sound like all the good plot points for any spy comedy, you don’t expect to find them in the real world – with real government employees trying to sell real secrets.

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 the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

Classifying apparel correctly is essential for importers, as it determines the appropriate duties and regulations that apply.  The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) provides a standardized system for classifying apparel.  However, the chapters for apparel are long and can be confusing.  Here are five important things to know about classifying apparel using the HTSUS.

Do you think export control laws take precedence over employment laws?  Think again. Recently, two settlement agreements between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. companies highlight the complicated scenarios faced by many HR departments today.  Let’s take a closer look at General Motors and American CyberSystems Inc. More importantly, let’s find out what can be done to avoid these scenarios in your organization.

Export compliance can sometimes feel like a jigsaw puzzle that keeps adding pieces faster than you can find out where they go.  In recent years, these regulations continue to change and become more complex.  Now more than ever, it’s crucial to understand these rules and regulations, why they are important, who is enforcing them, and what are the consequences.  Here are some ways the regulations are growing in complexity, and what you can do to stay ahead of the game.