U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted the April 2008 customs broker license exam answer key.
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.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources, the April 2008 customs broker license exam had a pass rate of 20.5%, with over 1,600 people sitting for the exam. Sources add that the answer key should soon be posted to CBP's Web site, and the letters notifying candidates of their April 2008 exam scores are expected to be mailed out the week of May 7, 2008.
On April 22, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials gave an Automated Commercial Environment update at an event hosted by the Baltimore Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association.
On April 9, 2008, at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Basham spoke about the need to address some of CBP's dated Customs broker policies and laws. Highlights of his remarks include:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a revised version of its informed compliance publication entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and Electronic Organizers.
At the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America's Annual Conference, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Basham stated that he expects CBP to publish a final rule in Summer 2008 to require Security Filing (SF) information from importers and additional information from carriers (10+2) for vessel (maritime) cargo before it is brought into the U.S.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Mexico's government is preparing to open bidding on the largest infrastructure project in its history, a $4-billion seaport on Mexico's Baja peninsula, that would link the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. heartland. Vessels bearing shipping containers from Asia would offload them at the new port where they would be taken over newly constructed rail lines to the U.S. (Los Angeles Times, dated 03/25/08, available at http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mexport25mar25,1,5870690.story)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a revised version of its informed compliance publication entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Caviar.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a new informed compliance publication entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Classification of Coated and Water Resistant Apparel.
World Trade reports that a proposal currently under consideration in New York City would charge truckers $21 for driving in certain high congestion zones in Manhattan during peak hours, but truckers would be offered an exemption if they are operating low emission vehicles. (World Trade, dated March 2008, www.worldtrademag.com)