U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of March 26, 2012.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the release of the Los Angeles Regional Export Plan and new funding for programs to boost exports through the use of the Los Angeles Regional Export Council (LARExC), initiatives he said will help double exports by 2015. Launched last October, LARExC aims to streamline export services in the LA region and help companies find the services they need to grow their businesses and create new jobs. Speaking at a Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase Global Cities Initiative (GCI) forum, he said Los Angeles was chosen as the first city for GCI because of its business base, infrastructure, global connections and the creation of LARExC. With $79.82 billion worth of exports in 2010, the Los Angeles region is the nation’s largest metropolitan export market, he said. The region’s export sector directly supports over 312,000 jobs and indirectly supports another 227,000.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) review on e-Manifest: Trucks. It provides information on how to store account information in the ACE, mandatory exemptions, submitting an e-Manifest, in-bond shipment information, etc.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted an updated version of its TRQ/TPL "threshold to fill" list, a quick reference to monitor TRQs and TPLs that are approaching their restraint limit or have filled their in-quota (low) rate. The list is divided into two sections: those that are at least 85% filled and those that are filled.

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Web site as of March 26, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a Federal Register notice saying the second quarter 2012 (April 1 - June 30) Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties are: 2% for overpayments by corporations; 3% for overpayments by non-corporations; and 3% for underpayments. These rates are unchanged from the corresponding rates in effect for the first quarter of calendar year 2012.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

Fitch affirmed its 'BBB+' rating for $43 million in North Carolina State Ports Authority's revenue bonds, and said the ratings outlook is stable. It cited the port's favorable location, growing service area, and access to other economic growth corridors, but also concerns about the authority's reliance on bulk volume and the risk of concentration on rubber- and phosphate-based cargo. Fitch said volume has shown resilience in recent months, and the diversity of trading partners and import/export exposure is adequate. The port's capital program is “modest” at $133 million, and largely funded with grants, Fitch said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a proposed rule to revise its regulations regarding U.S. returning residents who are eligible to file a single customs declaration for members of a family traveling together upon arrival in the U.S. Specifically, CBP is proposing to expand the definition of the term “members of a family residing in one household” to allow more U.S. returning residents to file a family customs declaration for articles acquired abroad. CBP anticipates that the proposed change will reduce the amount of paperwork that CBP officers would need to review during inspection and, therefore, facilitate passenger processing. Comments are due by May 29, 2012.