The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 20-26:
The U.S. government recently filed a lawsuit against Michaels Stores for the company’s late reporting of a consumer product safety hazard and failure to disclose that it was the importer of the unsafe product, said the Consumer Product Safety Commission in a press release issued April 22 (here). According to the complaint filed in Northern Texas U.S. District Court, Michaels knew glass vases it imported and sold in its stores were so thin that they would easily break and cut the hands of the person holding the vase, but failed to report the hazard to CPSC for over a year. When the company finally did report the problem, it said it was not the importer even though it was importer of record of the vases, allowing it to avoid legal and financial responsibility for the resulting recall, said the complaint.
The House Ways and Means Committee approved the four major trade bills up for consideration at its April 23 markup, following a full day of debate on the legislation. The committee ultimately sent to the House floor Trade Promotion Authority, Trade Adjustment Assistance, a preference package and a Customs Reauthorization bill. Committee lawmakers approved the same TPA, TAA and preference package bills the Senate Finance Committee endorsed the day before (see 1504230001). TPA passed in a partisan vote, with two Democrats joining Republicans in support. The other three bills passed by voice vote, a committee spokesman said.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 13-19
ORLANDO, FLA. – CBP's Office of Regulations and Rulings is "preparing a number of proposed amendments" to customs broker regulations in 19 CFR Part 111, said CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske while speaking at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America on April 21. Kerlikowske also lauded the movement of just-introduced customs legislation.
Trek Leather Decision on Corporate Officer Liability Confirms 40 Years of Precedent, Says Government
The recent court decision in Trek Leather on corporate employee liability for customs violations does nothing to expand the coverage of customs penalties to employees of corporate importers of record, said the U.S. government in a brief filed April 15 opposing a Supreme Court hearing of the case. Despite consternation from the trade industry that a September 2014 decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will cause upheaval by subjecting import compliance professionals to “massive penalties” for negligent misstatements on entry documentation (see 1503170027), the controversial decision merely served to confirm over 40 years of Court of International Trade precedent and the plain language of 19 USC 1592, said the government’s brief.
CTIA, NCTA and the American Cable Association filed legal challenges Tuesday to the FCC’s net neutrality rules in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The appeals weren't a surprise -- industry officials had predicted the trade associations would largely carry the load this time around (see 1503300055). FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is the former president of both NCTA and CTIA. Wheeler defended the order Tuesday in a speech to the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin (see 1504140045).
CTIA, NCTA and the American Cable Association filed legal challenges Tuesday to the FCC’s net neutrality rules in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The appeals weren't a surprise -- industry officials had predicted the trade associations would largely carry the load this time around (see 1503300055). FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is the former president of both NCTA and CTIA. Wheeler defended the order Tuesday in a speech to the Broadband Communities Summit in Austin (see 1504140045).
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of April 6-12:
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of March 30 - April 5: