Hong Kong’s Trade and Industry Department issued updated procedures for applying for a Delivery Verification Certificate, the department said March 4. DVCs, provided to exporters as proof that their product has arrived in Hong Kong, are issued by the department after a request from the Hong Kong importer who receives the good, the department said. Along with a specific “SC011” or “TID 85” form, DVC applications must include a “bill of lading/master air waybill” and a “commercial invoice,” the department said, and can be submitted by paper or electronically as long as the applicant includes an original signed copy of the DVC application. The applicant is also required to declare that the product being shipped has arrived in Hong Kong and that the description of the product is accurate, the department said, adding that false or misleading statements can lead to “prosecution and/or administrative actions.” DVCs are usually approved within 15 business days after receipt of the application and supporting documents, the department said.

A deal is shaping up with China that would lift most of the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The article cautioned it could still fall apart over enforcement, or over political pressures on either side that the deal is too favorable to the other country. President Donald Trump tweeted that "I have asked China to immediately remove all Tariffs on our agricultural products (including beef, pork, etc.) based on the fact that we are moving along nicely with Trade discussions.... and I did not increase their second traunch [sic] of Tariffs to 25% on March 1st. This is very important for our great farmers - and me!"

The Bureau of Industry and Security needs access to the State Department’s internal screening list once export controls on many firearms, artillery and ammunition are transferred from State to BIS, the Government Accountability Office said in a March 1 report. State has compiled years of information on illegitimate and bad actors in its watch list, and BIS may “lack critical information needed to effectively screen license applicants for firearms and related exports” once the transfers are finalized if it can’t get access, the report said.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of International Trade Today’s Export Compliance Daily. The International Trade Today editorial staff is pleased to deliver this complimentary launch preview to our community of trade readers for a limited time. This service was developed in response to strong market feedback indicating a dearth of reliable single-source export compliance information.

The Canada Border Services Agency will go forward with an increase to Administrative Monetary Penalties for trade compliance violations, CBSA said in a March 1 message. "Effective April 1, 2019, the CBSA will increase a number of AMPs related to commercial trade," CBSA said. "Increases will bring penalty levels in line with other non-trade commercial penalties. These increases affect non-compliant importers only."

A House bill that would require the U.S. government to ban all U.S. exports to any company that violates export controls or sanctions has appeal on both the right and left, said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., in a recent interview. The bill, H.R. 602, which so far only has Reps. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., as co-sponsors, is a companion bill to a Senate effort led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ariz.