The Automated Export System has been updated to accept changes in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule from Presidential Proclamation 9980, which was published Jan. 29 and took effect Feb. 8, the Census Bureau said in an emailed alert. “AES will accept shipments with outdated codes during a grace period for 30 days beyond the expiration date. Reporting an outdated code after the 30-day grace period will result in a fatal error,” Census said. “The ACE AESDirect program has been updated and will accept shipments with outdated codes during the grace period.” The current list of HTS codes not valid for AES is available on the Census website, the agency said.
North Korea continued to violate United Nations Security Council sanctions in 2019 with the help of China, according to a Feb. 10 Reuters report. North Korea continued improving its missile programs, imported refined petroleum and exported about $370 million worth of coal using Chinese barges, Reuters said, referencing a not-yet-released UN report expected to be issued next month. Most of North Korea’s illegal coal exports were conducted through ship-to-ship transfers from North Korean vessels to Chinese barges, the report said, which delivered the coal directly to ports in China’s Hangzhou Bay and facilities along the Yangtze River.
The Congressional Research Service released a Feb. 5 report on the global oil market effects of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Russia and Venezuela. The report contains an overview of U.S. sanctions against the three countries’ oil markets, including how successfully U.S. sanctions have blocked oil trade. The CRS said U.S. sanctions have succeeded in their goals in hurting the target markets, but U.S. sanctions frameworks do not include “design elements that consider possible oil market impacts” if the sanctions are eased or lifted.
India’s Ministry of Defense amended its export control regulations, according to a notice posted on Feb. 3. The changes include an update to India’s Category 6 munitions list, simplified procedures for the export of munitions list items, and a new “end-to-end” online portal for authorizing exports. In addition, India’s Department of Defense Production will now serve as the licensing authority for Category 6 exports, replacing the Director General of Foreign Trade.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Feb. 3-7 in case you missed them.
As the final regulations for the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act take effect this week, FIRRMA’s definition for critical technologies remains unclear due to a lack of proposed rules by the Commerce Department on emerging and foundational technologies, trade lawyers said.
The United Kingdom plans to announce the locations of its 10 “freeports” before the end of the year and launch them in 2021, the UK said Feb. 10. The ports, which will reduce certain customs and tariff-related costs in a bid to boost trade, will open “across the UK” and help Britain's “post-Brexit growth,” the U.K. said. The U.K. previously named several candidates for the ports, including Teesport, the Port of Tyne, Milford Haven and London Gateway (see 1908020025). The UK also opened a consultation to “inform the government’s freeports policy,” which outlines benefits offered by the ports, including “tariff flexibility, customs facilitations and tax measures.”
The United Kingdom on Feb. 10 updated its guidance on Iranian trade sanctions and its requirements for exporting certain controlled nuclear items on the U.K.'s “Trigger List.” The notices now include links to further information on exporting nuclear and dual-use goods and services through the Iran procurement channel.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Feb. 10 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
The Canada Border Services Agency issued a customs notice on Feb. 10 to “clarify exporter and carrier obligations related to the proof-of-report and offer guidance on how to complete an export declaration.” The notice spells out three export scenarios and how to use the Canadian Export Reporting System in such cases. The system uses a “proof-of-report number” to indicate “that goods to be exported have been reported to the” CBSA.