The Trump administration, furious that Central American migrant asylum seekers continue to stream to the U.S., says that unless Mexico can "dramatically reduce or eliminate the number of illegal aliens" coming to the U.S., it will levy tariffs on all Mexican imports, starting June 10. The tariff will begin at 5 percent, go to 10 percent on July 1, and then increase by 5 percent each month until it reaches 25 percent on Oct. 1.
Although the Speaker of the House said the administration's decision to send over its Statement of Administrative Action and legal text of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement was "not a positive step," some NAFTA watchers said this should not be seen as a sign that the administration is trying to force the speaker's hand and demand a vote before the August congressional recess.
CBP hopes to kick off implementation of pre-departure electronic export manifest filing by mid-July with the publication of a new business process document, said Jim Swanson, CBP director of cargo and security controls, at the May 30 meeting of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee in Laredo, Texas. Once it’s published, CBP will be able to begin reaching out to the 30-40 “tested stakeholders” that have been fully tested but are waiting on operational guidance, to “get them operational,” he said. Swanson has said pre-departure manifest is a key pre-condition to bringing back post-departure filing of Electronic Export Information (EEI) (see 1903080037).
The French Banking Regulator’s Sanctions Committee announced on May 29 that it is bringing enforcement action on Raguram International for sanctions violations, according to a report from the committee and a post on the EU Sanctions blog. The committee announced enforcement on Raguram International for “deficiencies in screening customers” who are subject to European Union asset freezes, the notice said, and in screening customers that could be linked to terrorist financing. No penalty was issued due to their “subsequent compliance efforts,” the notice said.
Flash sales of deeply discounted products can be used to determine the transaction value as long as the required provisions are met, according to the World Customs Organization Technical Committee on Customs Valuation in a recently adopted advisory opinion. Similarly, the committee said that "the discounted price could be used to determine the transaction value of identical or similar goods for which there is no transaction value" if other provisions are met, the WCO said in a news release. "This Advisory Opinion will be submitted to the WCO Council for approval at its Sessions of June 2019," the WCO said.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee Export Modernization Working Group will work closely with CBP "in the development of regulatory change to mandate the use of electronic export manifest for all modes and review existing CBP export regulations," said Jim Swanson, director of CBP Cargo Security and Controls Division, in a government paper on the working group issue. CBP released the document ahead of the May 30 COAC meeting in Laredo, Texas. The group will also "review and assist in the development of the operational requirements for electronic export manifest and assist in the expansion of the current pilots to full operational status," Swanson said. Another goal is to help with implementing Post Departure filing enhancements. The work group will also "continue to review export materials that have been previously generated and formulate recommendations regarding their relevance and subsequent disposition in the context of a more modern supply chain," according to an executive summary from the Secure Trade Lanes Subcommittee. "After engaging in full deliberation and discussion, the Work Group shall advise the COAC of any advice or recommendations."
The United Nations Security Council removed Mazen Salah Mohammed from its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List, lifting an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo, according to a May 21 U.N. press release. The sanctions were lifted after the Security Council Committee received a “delisting request” for Mohammed, an Iraqi national, by the “designating State," the press release said. The U.N. lists Mohammed as a member of Ansar Al-Islam, a Sunni Muslim militant group based in Iraq.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced three bipartisan measures calling for sanctions against countries it said are involved in corruption, human rights abuses and trade that harms U.S. national security. The measures, advanced on May 22, called for sanctions on countries in the Northern Triangle, Georgia and Turkey.
If the new NAFTA passes in the House, "I don't think there's any question but it's going to pass the Senate," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said May 23. He leads the Senate Finance Committee, which is responsible for moving the trade treaty in that body. He also said he thinks it will be difficult for the ratification in the House to be done before the August recess.
The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said the Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) scheduled a partially open meeting June 4 in Washington. The public session will include an export enforcement update, regulations update, working group reports, an Automated Export System (AES) update, and presentations of papers or comments by the public. The open session will be accessible via teleconference to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. To join via teleconference, submit inquiries by May 29 to Yvette Springer at Yvette.Springer@bis.doc.gov. A limited number of seats will also be available for the public session.