CBP will issue an interim rule, effective Sept. 26 that amends CBP regulations to implement the customs-related provisions of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Act (CTPA). Comments must be received by Nov. 26. The notice is ran in the Federal Register Sept. 26.
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.
The Senate gave its approve to a Continuing Resolution, a temporary funding measure, to prevent a government shutdown and fund federal programs until March 27, 2013 (H.J.Res 117). Among other things, the bill would pay for "operations necessary to maintain the staffing levels (including by backfilling vacant positions) of Border Patrol agents, Customs and Border Protection officers, and Air and Marine interdiction agents in effect at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2012." The resolution still needs approval from President Barack Obama.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP issued two memorandums on in-quota allocations for the fiscal year 2013 raw cane sugar tariff rate quota, which will open on Oct. 1. The first memo lists the country-specific in-quota allocations for the FY 2013 raw can sugar TRQ. Instructions regarding the certificate of quota eligibility (CQE) are also included in the memo (here).
CBP made technical corrections relating to the NAFTA rules of origin in a final rule published in the Federal Register and effective on Sept. 25. The corrections apply to 19 CFR 102.20 of CBP's rules, which are used to determine whether a good is considered NAFTA-originating, and will allow CBP's tariff shift rules to conform with the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), said CBP. The new CBP rule follows the Feb. 3 update to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which contained hundreds of World Customs Organization-recommended as well as other tariff changes.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D- Mont.) added to the Senate calendar legislation (S-3568) that would authorize trust funds to provide support to citrus, cotton and wool industries, paid for through import duties. The bill also takes up other broad customs issues.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP is seeking input on how to revise its regulations for broker penalties because the current set of factors considered by the agency provide an imperfect look at adherence to supervision and control requirements, said CBP officials Sept. 20. They spoke during a CBP Webinar on "Broker penalties," one of several Webinars on changes to 19 CFR 111 broker regulations. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of the presentation used during the Webinar.
CBP scheduled an additional Webinar as part of the agency's "Role of the Broker" outreach effort focused on the rewrite of broker regulations, said Elena Ryan, CBP's acting director-Trade Facilitation and Administration, during the Sept. 20 Webinar. The new Webinar will take place on Oct. 11 and will focus on brokers' interaction with the Centers for Excellence and Expertise. The full schedule of the Webinars is (here).
New lobbyist registrations on trade issues include: