The Department of Homeland Security has published its fall 2010 semi-annual regulatory agenda for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Licensed Customs Broker
Customs brokers are entities who assist importers in meeting federal requirements governing imports into the United States. Brokers can be private individuals, partnerships, associations or corporations licensed, regulated and empowered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Customs brokers oversee transactions related to customs entry and admissibility of merchandise, product classification, customs valuation, payment of duties, taxes, or other charges such as refunds, rebates, and duty drawbacks. To obtain a customs broker license, an individual must pass the U.S. Customs Broker License Exam. Customs brokers are not government employees and should not be confused with CBP officials. There are approximately 11,000 active licensed customs brokers in the United States.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a revised version of its May 2010 frequently asked questions document regarding containers considered to be instruments of international traffic (IIT) that are imported into the U.S. with residue of bulk products.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that the following Customs broker licenses, as well as any and all permits, have been cancelled without prejudice:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is announcing that the following Customs Broker license and all associated permits are revoked with prejudice:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources have announced that the pass rate for the October 2010 customs broker license exam was 29%.
In a September 7, 2010 letter, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Bersin responded to an earlier Transportation Intermediaries Association letter on the merits of allowing non-asset based Third Party Logistics Providers (3PLs) into the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued two notices that either reissue or revoke an ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) license, as follows:
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
In an October 4, 2010 decision, Lizarraga Customs Broker v. U.S. et al., the Court of International Trade entered into record U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s “Confession of Judgment” in favor of Lizarraga Customs Broker, in which CBP conceded to not suspend or deactivate Mr. Lizarraga entry filer code for any past fact or event.
The Court of International Trade has entered U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s “confession of judgment” in favor of Lizarraga Customs Broker, which was filed in response to Lizarraga’s pending motion for a preliminary injunction.