In the April 8 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 49, No. 14) (here), CBP published notices that propose to modify or revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of patient lifts and umbrellas.
Tim Warren
Timothy Warren is Executive Managing Editor of Communications Daily. He previously led the International Trade Today editorial team from the time it was purchased by Warren Communications News in 2012 through the launch of Export Compliance Daily and Trade Law Daily. Tim is a 2005 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts and lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids.
Lyco Product's use of transaction value for imported garlic was inappropriate due to an unclear relationship between the importer and supplier and China, among other things, CBP found in a Jan. 16 ruling (here). Lyco, the importer, filed an application for further review of protest after CBP's Regulatory Audit Division in Miami said the company undervalued an entry of imported garlic granules. Despite Lyco's claim it was unrelated to the supplier, CBP ruled against the company in HQ H255619 and called for appraisal based on "reasonable adjustments to transaction value of identical or similar merchandise."
In the April 8 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 49, No. 14) (here), CBP published notices that propose to revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of stickers and sand timers.
The ports will continue to handle the post-release work for imports that fall outside the purview of one of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise that are now handling such work for entire industries, said Laura Webb, assistant center director for the Petroleum CEE. Webb and other CEE officials discussed the program during an April 7 conference call hosted by the American Bar Association Customs Law Committee. CBP recently said the three CEEs -- electronics in Los Angeles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals in New York, and petroleum and minerals in Houston -- would soon begin to handle some duties previously done at the port level for entire industries (see 1501210021).
In the April 8 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 49, No. 14) (here), CBP published notices that propose to revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of sandals and knife sets.
CBP will increasingly push for "strategic partnerships that facilitate integrated, risk-informed, intelligence-driven law enforcement operations," as the agency works to maintain U.S. security and prosperity in trade, said CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske on April 8. "This requires a national 'whole of government' approach – as well as an international unity of effort." Kerlikowske discussed the way ahead for the agency during a Brookings Institution event (here) on the agency's new strategic plan (here). The strategic plan outlined several broad CBP goals for handling trade, travel and transparency issues.
CBP's slowness to write policies for automation as the agency moves quickly to deploy new capabilities is one area of concern ahead of the coming Automation Commercial Environment deadlines, said Amy Magnus, A.N. Deringer's director of customs affairs and compliance. Magnus, who was recently chosen to be on the next CBP Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations, discussed ACE on a March 31 panel at the Northeast Trade and Transportation conference hosted by the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade in Newport, R.I. "With automation, there are changes in processes," she said. "With changes in processes, there really should be updated policies to go along with it. And updated policies in written form so that we aren't guessing, so everybody knows what the rules are." While CBP should be applauded for moving quickly on the agile deployment of ACE "they sometimes are not as quick to roll out written policies and procedures around that automation," she said.
The Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) for CBP will next meet April 24 at 9 a.m. in Washington, CBP said in a notice (here).
CBP and ICE released statistics on their fiscal year 2014 intellectual property rights seizures (here). The statistics show that the number of seizures fell slightly from FY 2013, as did the total manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, said CBP in a press release (here). Watches/jewelry was the top category of commodities seized by value, making up 31 percent of the MSRP seized, said CBP.
NEWPORT, R.I. -- CBP and other federal agencies are “not as strong as we need to be” in terms of trade enforcement posture, said Todd Owen, CBP assistant commissioner for the Office of Field Operations (OFO) on March 31. Owen spoke at Northeast Trade and Transportation conference hosted by the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade. Such enforcement is an area “where we need to do a better job” and will be a priority for Owen going forward, he said.