Tim Warren

CBP posted transcripts, questions and answers, and polling results from recent Webinars focused on the “Role of the Broker” and update to 19 CFR Parts 111 rules. A schedule of the Webinar is (here).

Ted Sherman, director of Global Trade Services at Target, and Kathy Neal, director of Global Trade Compliance at Regal Beloit, were named the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) trade co-chairs.

Brenda Smith will replace Cynthia Allen as head of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Business Office, after Allen leaves for a position at DHL next month, said industry and government officials. Brenda Smith is now the executive director of trade policy and programs in the CBP Office of International Trade. John Leonard, director of textile and apparel policy at CBP, will replace Smith, said CBP.

CBP sent out some of its refund checks dated between July 30 and Aug. 8 without the accompanying information that details the reason for the payment, CBP said in a CSMS message. Questions from those receiving the U.S. Treasury checks in question, which are shown with the number 70050800 on the check next to the date, within this timeframe should be sent to CBP location where the entry was filed. Those that haven't filed entries in which a refund might be due should contact the CBP Revenue Division at (317) 298-1200 extension 4015, said CBP.

CBP issued a memo Aug. 16 giving guidance on the payment of the retroactive merchandise processing fee (MPF), on entries flagged for reconciliation. The additional MPF will be accounted for on the reconciliation entry (type 09) for underlying entries which have a date of entry (as defined in 19 CFR § 141.68) of Oct. 1 though Nov. 4, 2011.

CBP import specialists and officers assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport seized five shipments arriving from China containing 20,457 pairs of ladies footwear, in violation of the Christian Louboutin trademark, with an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $18 million, said CBP in a press release. “This seizure illustrates the outstanding level of commodity expertise and vigilance of CBP import specialists and officers at our nation’s largest seaport. CBP maintains an aggressive and proactive posture on intercepting shipments containing counterfeit and pirated items,” said Todd Owen, CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles.

CBP posted an August 2012 version of its informed compliance publication entitled, "What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Instruments of International Traffic." CBP said there were no substantive changes made to the revised version.

In the Aug. 15 issue of the CBP Bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 34), CBP published a notice that proposes to revoke and modify rulings and similar treatment regarding the tariff classification of work footwear.

CBP Boston updated destruction procedures for small air cargo shipments of perishable agricultural goods arriving at Boston Logan International Airport that were put on “Hold” by a CBP Agriculture Specialist, it said in a public information notice. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of notice.

The Seattle port became the newest addition to the Simplified Entry (SE) pilot program, receiving its first SE on Aug. 14, CBP said Aug. 15. CBP recently announced its plans to expand the pilot to other ports and participants and to revise applicant criteria. CBP said the "expansion to the ports of San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles will follow soon thereafter. A subsequent expansion to the south and southeast, including Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston and Miami, will happen in mid-September, to be quickly followed by an expansion to the northeast including Newark, New York/JFK and Boston."