The State Department seeks comments by May 7 on a proposed change to its procedures for submitting voluntary disclosures of violations of the Arms Export Control Act. “Historically, respondents to this information collection submitted their disclosures to [the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC)] in writing via hard copy documentation. However, as part of an IT modernization project designed to streamline the collection and use of information by DDTC, a discrete form has been developed for the submission of voluntary disclosures. This will allow both DDTC and respondents submitting a disclosure to more easily track submissions,” it said. As it sends the new information collection procedure to OMB for approval, State seeks comments on whether the information collection is necessary, how it can be improved, and how the burden on industry can be reduced.

The Bureau of Industry and Security and the State Department seek comments by April 22 to inform its review of recently revised export controls on launch vehicles and spacecraft, they said in two separate notices. Conducted as part of their work on the National Space Council, the agencies seek input on how to streamline controls for the commercial space industry, particularly in light of recent moves from U.S. Munitions List Categories IV and XV to the dual use Commerce Control List.

Importers into the United Kingdom will be able to pay VAT on periodic returns rather than at the time of entry if the U.K. leaves the European Union with no deal in place on March 29, HM Revenue and Customs said in a guidance document issued March 6. “This will apply to goods from both EU and non-EU countries and will help businesses currently moving goods into the UK from other EU member states to reduce any cash flow impacts after the UK leave the EU,” the guidance said.

CBP is starting to automate filings on used-car exports, a move that will help it more efficiently regulate an industry that has been “heavily infiltrated” by international criminal organizations, said Jim Swanson, director of CBP’s cargo and conveyance security and controls division. Swanson said CBP will move from a paper-based to an electronic-based filing system for used-car exports, which will allow the agency to verify or prohibit certain exports more quickly and accurately, abandoning an old method that sometimes resulted in original car titles getting lost.

In the March 6 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

The United Kingdom’s new Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate began work March 6 on administering the U.K.’s new framework for antidumping and countervailing duties that will be necessary once the U.K. leaves the European Union, the U.K. Department for International Trade said in a press release. The temporary directorate “will administer trade remedies functions until the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is legally established as an independent body with the passing of the Trade Bill,” the release said.

The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices for March 6 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

The Mexico Tax Administration Service announced that it has added a functionality in its VUCEM single window to allow downloads in PDF format of receipts of electronic submission of import documentation. Available in the “Consulta Documento Digitalizado” section, the new functionality is available as of March 6, SAT said. Electronic document receipts are required as part of “electronic files” of import and export documentation that must be maintained by importers, exporters and customs agents in Mexico under a regulation that took effect Dec. 22, 2018.

Brazil recently issued updated guidance that “aims to modernize and facilitate” procedures related to origin facilitation, KPMG said in a March 5 client alert. “Among other innovations,” the new guidance establishes that “an origin declaration may be presented for tariff preference purposes if provided for in the relevant trade agreement,” and also says “self-regulation (via import declarations) may be allowed for the importer, buyer or consignee, subject to certain conditions, and before [Brazil customs] initiates a procedure regarding the proof of origin,” KPMG said. The guidance also sets definitions for key terms, including proof of origin, declaration of origin and certificate of compliance.

As part of its Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the Philippines’ Department of Finance has created post clearance audit functions for the country's Bureau of Customs and announced a new prior disclosure program, which allows companies to minimize their penalties for errors and omissions on import documentation, according to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers alert. Post-clearance audits can include audits of importers, customs brokers, agents and “all other parties engaged in the customs clearance and processing functions,” according to the notice. Auditors can also review all export- and import-related records “required to be kept by law,” the notice said. The prior disclosure program, the notice said, allows the Philippines’ Bureau of Customs commissioner to consider previous disclosures of errors and omissions in goods declarations by importers “as a potential mitigating factor in determining penalties.” All disclosures must contain "the errors and payment of deficient amounts of duties, taxes and penalties."