Licensed Customs Broker

Federal Maritime Commission said the following have filed applications for a license as a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVO) and/or Ocean Freight Forwarder (OFF)-Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) pursuant to section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (here). Interested persons may contact the Office of Transportation Intermediaries, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, D.C. 20573, at 202-523-5843 or at OTI@fmc.gov.

July 2-13 WCO Knowledge Academy for Customs and Trade, WCO Headquarters, Brussels -- http://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=40460&

The Congressional approval June 29 for HR-4348, which would extend funding for surface transportation programs for two years, means some new regulations for domestic transport brokers but largely exempts brokers dealing with international trade, said a top lobbyist who worked on the legislation for customs brokers. The National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and other trade groups were able to mitigate the legislative language and effect on customs brokers, said Jon Kent, a lobbyist with Kent & O'Connor who works on the behalf of NCBFAA, in an interview. President Obama is expected to sign the bill.

The House and Senate voted June 29 to approve HR-4348, a transportation bill that will continue funding surface transportation programs for two years. The legislation will next go to President Obama, who is expected to sign the measure. A deal was reached recently as part of a conference to iron out differences between separate legislation. The bill includes new financial requirements for brokers, but exempts federally licensed customs brokers who are already subject to other federal financial requirements.

The customs broker’s license examination scheduled for October 2012 will be on Wednesday, Oct. 3, said CBP in a notice in the Federal Register July 3. While usually scheduled for the first Monday in October, this year the first Monday coincides with the observance of the religious holiday Sukkot, said CBP.

CBP is looking into establishing a pilot program that would waive the requirement to maintain a place of business within the district where customs business is being conducted, allowing for more virtual transactions, said CBP officials June 28. The officials spoke during a CBP Webinar on "Modernizing broker permitting requirements," the third of several Webinars on changes to broker regulation.

July 1 Basic Guide to Exporting: Satisfying Int'l Product Certification Requirements webinar -- Doug.Barry@trade.gov

CBP said it will seek to modify CBP Form 5106 to "more proactively collect information about importers that can be vetted by CBP." The Form 5106 revisions will apply only to new importers and others requiring an importer number for doing business with CBP, it said. CBP recently posted written responses to questions that came up in its June 7 Webinar exploring an update on broker regulations.

CBP discussed broker due diligence in verifying the identity of the importer of record in the second webinar about its “Role of the Broker” initiative. In the June 21 webinar, “Establishing bona fides,” CBP overviewed the documentation that may establish that the importer of record is a real entity and is in fact the owner or purchaser of the goods being entered. CBP also discussed situations with foreign importers of record, and said they would like to eliminate third-party transfers of power of attorney.

June 19 Food and Drug Administration public meeting in Washington, D.C., on its plan to expand the technical, scientific, and regulatory capacity of countries that export food to the U.S. -- www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/WorkshopsMeetingsConferences/default.htm