An effort by CBP and the Transportation Security Administration to improve the monitoring of imported air cargo through modifications in data collection is creating confusion among airforwarders and reportedly causing airlines to think twice about delivering cargo to the U.S. and Canada.
A regional union president for CBP officers asked Congress "to close the de minimis exception" or at least lower the de minimis threshold, but also to increase funding for frontline staff.
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the weeks of Aug. 19-25, Aug. 26 - Sept. 1, Sept. 2-8:
CBP recently issued a fact sheet on country of origin marking requirements applicable to imported repackaged prescription medication, the agency said in a CSMS message. All repackaged medications sold to retail customers will be required to be marked with the country of origin, CBP said. In the fact sheet, the agency referenced its recent ruling on country of origin marking for prescription medications, which found a retail pharmacy still has to include country of origin on drugs it repackages before selling to the ultimate consumer (see 2408140037).
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith, R-Neb., said members of Congress have a wide range of views "of what the reaction should be" to compliance weaknesses in de minimis shipments. "But I think we need to continue the conversation and look for solutions that can generate the results we need," he said. Smith said he thinks Congress can pass a de minimis bill this year.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai told podcast hosts at Bloomberg News that the U.S. and other countries that lost manufacturing jobs as China ramped up its exports from 2000 to 2019 are saying: "We will not tolerate, we cannot tolerate a China Shock 2.0."
CBP recently updated FAQs to reflect changes last month to the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) Implementation Guide 2408220009). The update entails additional codes that would need to be completed by filers responsible for air cargo shipments originating from outside the U.S., starting in early September (see 2408270026). The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America sent an emailed alert to its members about the release of the updated FAQs.
The Court of International Trade on Sept. 3 granted Seko Customs Brokerage's bid to voluntarily dismiss its case against CBP's temporary suspension of the brokerage from the Entry Type 86 pilot and Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism programs at the Court of International Trade. Counsel for Seko didn't immediately respond to a request for comment (Seko Customs Brokerage v. United States, CIT # 24-00097).
The House of Representatives will not be voting on a de minimis restriction as part of its "China week," according to a list of 31 bills published by its leadership Sept. 3. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had said in July that he expected changes to de minimis to be part of the package (see 2407080049).
The Federal Maritime Commission this week ordered AAF Logistics, a California-based non-vessel operating common carrier, to pay more than $291,000 to Chicago-based distributor Color Brands, which accused AAF in 2022 of charging for cargo insurance it didn't obtain and improperly denying damaged cargo claims.