Judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Dec. 4 questioned importer Nature's Touch Frozen Foods (West) and the government regarding the tariff classification of frozen fruit mixtures. Judge Todd Hughes led the bulk of the questioning, pushing Nature's Touch on how to classify the goods if the court finds that the mixtures aren't food preparations, as claimed by the company, and how they should be classified instead under Harmonized Tariff Schedule heading 0811, which covers certain frozen fruit (Nature's Touch Frozen Foods (West) v. U.S., Fed. Cir. # 23-2093).
The exclusion process for Section 301 tariffs was understandable in one regard -- requests for goods linked to China's technology supremacy strategy known as Made in China 2025 were less likely to be successful.
Despite looming geopolitical and labor uncertainties, freight markets are appearing to hold steady, trade industry executives told International Trade Today. But President-elect Donald Trump's announcement this week of plans to levy a 25% tariff against Mexico and Canada and increase by 10% the tariffs on Chinese goods (see 2411260012) could propel the freight markets into a frenzy should importers try to rush to get cargo in before the tariffs are implemented.
The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee for CBP holds its next quarterly meeting Dec. 11 remotely and in person in Washington, D.C., at 1 p.m. EST, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due by Dec. 6.
The Court of International Trade ruled Nov. 26 that it has jurisdiction over all denied protests of CBP detention decisions -- even if the government claimed that the Drug Enforcement Administration, not CBP, chose to make the seizure. CBP has the final authority over all detentions, making all detentions protestable under U.S. law, CIT Judge Timothy Reif held in his opinion.
A free-trade senator shrugged off President-elect Donald Trump's promise to put 25% tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods, Canadian politicians scurried to convince Trump it can satisfy his demands, and Mexico's president alternately scolded and offered cooperation to the president-elect.
President Joe Biden nominated Jim Coughlan, the Export-Import Bank's general counsel, and Haile Craig, a Republican nominee, for the International Trade Commission on Nov 21.
CBP's Trade Regulatory Audit Directorate now has an office up and running in Laredo, Texas, according to a Nov. 15 agency announcement.
Trade attorneys continue to wait and wonder what kind of tariff changes will come next year, with one observer using a tariff slide that said "Tariff Armageddon."
The FDA has revised aspects of the agency's Voluntary Qualified Importer Program that could result in lower user fees, according to a Nov. 14 release.