CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan highlighted some planned additional benefits to participation in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, in prepared remarks for the July 18 Senate Finance International Trade Subcommittee hearing on U.S. ports and trade. The ongoing transitioning of the Importer Self-Assessment program into CTPAT Trade Compliance "includes the extensive development of new benefits," he said. CBP has a loose deadline of the end of 2018 for transitioning ISA participants into CTPAT (see 1709070010), and a phased rollout of new CTPAT standards is expected to begin in October (see 1806070058).
Royal Brush Manufacturing is being investigated after allegations of evasion of antidumping duties required on imported pencils from China, CBP said in a June 26 notice. The investigation stems from allegations filed under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) by Dixon Ticonderoga Company, a Florida office and art supplies maker, CBP said. The company alleged that RBM evaded antidumping duties through transshipment.
CBP is investigating a California company for alleged antidumping duty evasion on aluminum extrusions from China, the agency said in a May 17 notice. The investigation stems from allegations filed under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) by Endura Products, a domestic producer of fabricated extruded aluminum door thresholds, CBP said. The company alleged that Columbia Aluminum Products evaded antiumping duties by misclassifying door thresholds.
CBP posted information on the processes involved in requesting an administrative review on an initial Enforce and Protect Act determination of anti-dumping or countervailing duty evasion. "Requests for administrative review may be filed by any party to the investigation, or its attorney, or duly authorized agent," CBP said. After a "review of a complete and timely request for administrative review of an initial determination, the [Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings, Penalties Branch] will issue a final administrative determination," CBP said. "The administrative review will be completed within 60 business days of the date of commencement of the review." The final administrative determination will be released publicly and is subject to judicial review, CBP said.
CBP posted its May 14 notice of investigation sent to two New York companies related to allegations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion for aluminum extrusions from China. The investigation stems from allegations filed under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) by the Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee regarding Sun Bright International Corporation and Fair Importing Corporation (see 1805160018).
CBP is investigating two New York companies related to allegations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion for aluminum extrusions from China, the agency said in a May 14 notice. The investigation stems from allegations filed under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) by the Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee (AEFTC) regarding Sun Bright International Corporation and Fair Importing Corporation. "Because the evidence thus far establishes reasonable suspicion that the Importers have entered merchandise into the United States through evasion, CBP has imposed interim measures," the agency said.
The Trump administration looks set to continue its focus on deregulation, judging by its recently released Spring 2018 unified regulatory agenda. Regulatory agencies with a hand in trade laid out their plans to harmonize and streamline regulatory requirements, including on Lacey Act implementation, a modernized seafood inspection program and an update to Toxic Substances Control Act chemical data reporting requirements. On the other hand, regulatory plans also include enforcement measures, including procedures for Commerce scope rulings during CBP investigations of antidumping and countervailing duty evasion and increased oversight over organic imports.
The Treasury Department published its spring 2018 regulatory agenda for CBP. The agenda includes two new rulemakings, one involving the prohibition on imports made through forced labor and another on intellectual property rights. The forced labor proposal, expected by August, would "would generally bring the forced labor regulations and detention procedures into alignment with other statutes, regulations and procedures that apply to the enforcement of restrictions against other types of prohibited merchandise," it said. The IPR rulemaking, expected by August, would "create a procedure for the disclosure of information otherwise protected by the Trade Secrets Act to a trademark owner when merchandise bearing suspected counterfeit trademarks has been voluntarily abandoned."
There are some new signs of progress for an update to customs broker regulations in 19 CFR Part 111, said Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner in the CBP Office of Trade, during an April 10 interview. Smith gave her approval to a regulatory package on the subject around two weeks ago, she said. "It's moving," but there still are "a lot of people that need to sign off on it," including within CBP, she said. Even so, "it's out of the Office of Trade, which is more progress than we've ever made before."
A CBP investigation into allegations of evading antidumping duties for steel garment hangers turned up "substantial evidence" of evasion, the agency said in a March 15 final determination. The allegations named Brooklyn Knights Trading of Philadelphia; GL Paper Distribution of Miami; Garment Cover Supply of Orlando; Newtown Supply NY of Woodside, New York; Casa USA of Carson, California; Subcos Percha De Metal Factory of Rosemead, California; Nice Guy Trading of New York; and Masterpiece Supply of San Francisco. Those allegations, which were filed by M&B Metals under the Enforce and Protect Act provisions, were consolidated into one case (see 1708170024).