Tim Warren

UPS acquired Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services (STTAS) on Nov. 30, UPS said in a Dec. 4 news release. STTAS, the consulting and trade compliance arm of the Sandler Travis law and lobbying firm, "will continue to provide its same services, from the same offices with use of the same personnel," STTAS said in a news release. It will also "continue to serve as a resource" for Sandler Travis "on joint client issues as it has in the past." Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 1 asking the agency to reconsider its treatment of a customs broker as a potential "responsible party" for radio frequency device import compliance. The FCC updated its regulations to remove Form 740 filing requirements for RF device imports, but retained compliance requirements and said a customs broker can be a "responsible party" for import compliance (see 1711010011). The new rules impose "unreasonable responsibilities on customs brokers," the NCBFAA said.

Claims of stolen identity used on entry documents for goods subject to antidumping duties were not enough to limit liability on such duties for a named importer of record, CBP said in an Aug. 14 ruling. The lack of a proper Power of Attorney for the involved customs broker also does not change liability for the duties, CBP said in HQ H271023. The listed IOR, Green Island Import Export USA, told CBP it did not authorize imports of polyethylene retail carrier bags after it received a bill for unpaid duties.

The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) and the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) recently filed a lawsuit against CBP over the agency's treatment of vessels that transport and use oil and gas equipment under the Jones Act. The suit, filed Nov. 9 with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, follows a CBP reversal on plans to revoke or modify several Jones Act rulings involving the transportation of pipeline material from a U.S. point to other points within U.S. waters or those on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf that are coastwise points (see 1701200018). "CBP’s unlawful interpretations of the Jones Act have stifled investment by U.S. shipping companies and diverted business away from Jones Act qualified vessels, the shipyards that build them, and the mariners and other personnel responsible for their operation," the trade groups said.

CBP will look into reports of problems with the Oct. 25 electronic customs broker licensing exam, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in a Nov. 6 email to members. The agency told the NCBFAA it plans to investigate in response to a slew of complaints about the test. That exam marked the first time the test was administered electronically (see 1709130030). "While we are confident that CBP will thoroughly investigate this matter and identify the root cause of the systems issue, the NCBFAA is working with CBP to identify and implement appropriate remedial actions on an expedited basis," the NCBFAA said.

CBP posted an updated guidance for liquidated damages and penalties for non-compliant wood packaging materials. CBP said in September it would increase the frequency of penalties for WPM violations and no longer limit some penalties to parties with five or more violations (see 1709250038) to motivate better compliance with the rules. A penalty may be assessed against the party "in all instances where the party responsible for the importation, attempts to import contrary to law," CBP said. Regulated WPM, which include "crates, pallets, boxes, and pieces of wood used to support or brace cargo," must "display a visible, legible, and permanent mark certifying" heat or fumigation treatment, it said.

An importer and domestic retailer of footwear and handbags that accepts customer returns with "no questions asked" would need to provide more information in order to meet the requirements for unused merchandise drawback claims, CBP said in a July 25 ruling. Carlo Pazolini (USA) LLC submitted the claims for unused drawback in 2013 and 2014, which were rejected by the Port of New York/New Jersey due to lack of proof about use. Pazolini protested the rejections and said that the merchandise in question showed "no evidence of use."

The Federal Communications Commission will end its Form 740 filing requirements for imported radiofrequency devices as of Nov. 2, the agency said in a notice. While the Form 740 will no longer be required, the agency will continue to require compliance with rules for importing RF devices, it said. The FCC "retained the requirement that there must be an entity that assumes responsibility for the compliance of the device and modified the rules to ensure the existence and identity (and a domestic presence under the new [Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC)] rules), of such a responsible party." The FCC approved the changes in July (see 1707130045).

CBP will allow post summary corrections to be transmitted in ACE "within 300 days of the date of entry or 15 days prior to the scheduled liquidation date, whichever date is earlier," the agency said in a notice. Previously, PSCs had to be sent within 270 days of entry and couldn't be filed within 20 days of scheduled liquidation, it said. "This change is being made to increase the amount of time a filer has to submit a PSC on entry summaries."

The listing of several components within the Pharmaceutical Appendix to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States don't mean a combination of those ingredients are eligible for duty-free classification, CBP said in Sept. 9 ruling. The agency said that the appendix must specify the product in order for it to qualify for the duty-free treatment allowed for such pharmaceuticals. CBP said in HQ H240719 that a milk thistle seed extract, called silymarin powder, is classifiable under 2932.99.61 as "Heterocyclic compounds with oxygen hetero-atom(s) only: Other: Other: Aromatic: Other."