If you’ve spent any time navigating U.S. customs regulations, you’ve probably had the same thought as anyone who has assembled furniture without reading the instructions: “Surely there’s a better way.” Well, Washington appears to agree. A sweeping Executive Order on customs enforcement aims to modernize how imports enter the United States, tighten compliance, strengthen national…
If you’ve ever wished importing consumer products came with just one more compliance requirement, congratulations – your wish has been granted. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has finalized its long-awaited electronic filing (eFiling) rule, ushering in one of the most significant changes to product import compliance in years. While “electronic filing of Certificates…
Every Independence Day, communities across the country celebrate with one of America’s favorite traditions: fireworks displays. Depending on the size of the event, a professional fireworks show can cost anywhere from $5,000 for a small municipal display to well over $100,000 for large city celebrations. Major metropolitan displays can easily exceed several hundred thousand dollars….
Section 232 Updates Reshape the Metal Import Landscape The U.S. government has once again expanded its trade measures on imported metals, introducing major changes to tariffs on aluminum, steel, copper, and products made from those materials. In a pair of proclamations issued in April and June 2026, the Trump administration strengthened existing Section 232 tariffs,…
Where Does Your Coffee Come From? Nearly two-thirds of American adults drink coffee every day. For many of us, that morning cup is as routine as brushing our teeth. But how often do we stop and ask a simple question, ‘Where did this coffee come from, and how was it harvested?’ More importantly, could forced…
President Trump touted that tariff was one of his favorite words and he has been doing everything in his power to have additional tariffs stick on certain products and/or countries since the beginning of his second time in office. Earlier this month, the White House hosted a Small Business Summit. I saw some of the…
Well, the day has come that every importer has been holding their breath for… the ability to get back the IEEPA refunds that had been paid. On April 20, CBP’s CAPE system became available for importers or customs brokers to file for refunds under Phase 1, after SCOTUS ruled that the IEEPA tariffs were illegal….
When I think about artificial intelligence, my mind goes straight to the movies. Blade Runner, The Terminator, RoboCop, and of course, Johnny Five from Short Circuit. “Johnny Five is alive!” Still one of the best lines. More recent films like Ex Machina and Her push the idea even further, showing AI as something deeply embedded…
Just last week I was reminded of an experience I had at a previous employer with an import shipment. It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and many people were already on their holiday, while I received a frantic call from our freight forwarder & customs broker about an Emergency Action Notification (EAN) from U.S. Customs…
If you ever received a refund from CBP, you would typically receive a paper check mailed to you. But get ready, changes are coming and very soon. No longer will you see that check from the US Department of Treasury, refunds will be issued electronically. The interim final rule goes into effect on February 6,…