Fiscal year 2017 spending legislation expected to be voted on by the House Appropriations Committee on May 3 contains language to provide ICE $15 million to investigate intellectual property rights violations, including operation of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, as well as $6 million for ICE enforcement of laws against child labor, according to a House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee report on the bill (here). Those funds are expended through ICE’s operations and support account, which House appropriators are proposing to fund at $6.2 billion in FY 2017, $900 million less than President Donald Trump’s March request (see 1703160022). The legislation (here) would also add $31 million to the CBP operations and support account for FY 2017, an amount which could be offset by amounts collected from outside entities for preclearance operations.
Customs Duty
A Customs Duty is a tariff or tax which a country imposes on goods when they are transported across international borders. Customs Duties are used to protect countries' economies, residents, jobs, and environments, by limiting the flow of imported merchandise, especially restricted and prohibited goods, into the country. The Customs Duty Rate is a percentage determined by the value of the article purchased in the foreign country and not based on quality, size, or weight.
Import Merchandising Concepts and two company employees will pay $275,000 to "resolve allegations that the company improperly evaded customs duties on imports of wooden bedroom furniture" from China, the Justice Department said in a May 1 news release (here). The employees, Glen Michaels and Alan Lewis, were alleged to have misclassified imported furniture between 2009 and 2014 as non-bedroom furniture to evade a 216% antidumping duty, the DOJ said. “Those who import and sell foreign-made goods in the United States must comply with the law, including laws intended to protect domestic companies and American workers from unfair foreign competition,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General-DOJ Civil Division Chad Readler. “This settlement reflects the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursue those who seek to evade import duties owed on goods manufactured abroad thereby gaining an unfair advantage in U.S. markets.” The settlement marks one of several involving dormitory furniture (see 1610010008). "The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability," the DOJ release says.
Boeing is asking for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on 100-seat to 150-seat large civil aircraft from Canada, it said in petitions filed with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission on April 27. The petition, which targets Bombardier’s CS100 and CS300 passenger aircraft, says the Canadian company’s goal is “muscling its way into the U.S. aviation market by offering its heavily subsidized planes at cut-rate pricing.” Boeing says Bombardier is following the playbook set by Airbus when it “helped drive U.S. competitors Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas out of the commercial airplane market by selling its subsidized aircraft at below-market prices.”
The Commerce Department issued a Federal Register notice on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigation on carton-closing staples from China (A-570-055) (here). The agency will determine whether imports of merchandise subject to this investigation are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The period of investigation is July 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2016.
The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigations on carbon and alloy steel wire rod from Belarus (A-822-806), Italy (A-475-836), South Korea (A-580-891), Russia (A-821-824), South Africa (A-791-823), Spain (A-469-816), Turkey (A-489-831), Ukraine (A-823-816), the United Arab Emirates (A-520-808) and the United Kingdom (A-412-826), and its recently initiated countervailing duty investigations on carbon and alloy steel wire rod from Italy (C-475-837) and Turkey (C-489-832).
A group of domestic steel producers recently filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping duties on cold-drawn mechanical tubing of carbon and alloy steel from China, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea and Switzerland, and new countervailing duties on cold-drawn mechanical tubing of carbon and alloy steel from China and India. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on mechanical tubing from these countries. The petition was filed by ArcelorMittal Tubular Products; Michigan Seamless Tube, LLC; PTC Alliance Corp.; Zekelman Industries; and Webco Industries, Inc.
A buying agent for a related manufacturing company meets the standard for "financial interest" for importing goods in the U.S. as the importer of record, CBP said in a April 6 ruling (here). The buying agent, Overseas Food Trading, sought a CBP ruling on its ability to file entries for imports of cooking oils from Pompeian, a sister company that manufactures oils and vinegars. Overseas and Pompeian entered an agreement that would have Overseas serve as the importer of record, among other things, the company said. The two companies have the same owner but operate separately, CBP said.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 10-14 in case they were missed.
The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on biodiesel from Argentina (A-357-820/C-357-821) and Indonesia (A-560-830/C-560-831).
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America endorsed President Donald Trump’s nominee for CBP commissioner, Kevin McAleenan, saying that he understands how to resolve ongoing challenges associated with e-commerce processing, the rollout of ACE and revision of customs broker Part 111 regulations, according to a letter the group sent to the Senate Finance Committee (here). In the letter addressed to committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., NCBFAA President Geoffrey Powell added that McAleenan has demonstrated that CBP can work with its 49 partner government agencies in ensuring that imports meet requirements for health, safety, intellectual property, antidumping and countervailing duty enforcement, and “enlightened labor standards.” McAleenan "has demonstrated leadership within CBP that gives us confidence in the agency and should provide you assurance that it will meet its responsibilities in enforcement and in the facilitation of trade,” Powell said. “NCBFAA is strongly supportive of his nomination.” Powell urged the committee to hold a confirmation hearing “as soon as committee procedures and schedule permit.” Senate Finance didn't comment.