The Lacey Act Declaration requirement is currently being enforced for nine Harmonized Tariff Schedule Chapter 44 headings (wood and articles of wood), except where such goods are cleared using Automated Line Release (ALR)/Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity Program (BRASS)1.
Latest Harmonized System updates
On April 28, 2009 China and Peru signed a free trade agreement in Beijing. The agreement is the first FTA package China has signed with a Latin American country. (Notice, dated 04/28/09, available at http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6647262.html)
At the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America's annual conference, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials provided an update on 10+2. Among other things, officials discussed the possible extension of the delayed compliance period, penalties, Importer Security Filing (ISF) report cards, and filing statistics.
According to a White House press briefing, on April 13, 2009, the President directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba, and to send them remittances.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has published in the Federal Register its notice of initiation of a Section 301 investigation and determinations therein, which imposes an additional 10% duty on imports of certain softwood lumber products of Canada, whose Region of Origin is Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan, in response to Canada's failure to cure its breach of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement between the U.S. and Canada (SLA 2006) or provide the monetary compensation determined by a SLA arbitral tribunal. The additional duty is effective for products that are entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after April 15, 2009. (See ITT's Online Archives or 04/08/09 news, 09040805, for previous BP summary.) (D/N USTR-2009-0011, FR Pub 04/10/09, available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-8232.pdf)
CBP has issued a CSMS message stating that it is delaying until April 25, 2009 (from April 11th) the ACE update to accommodate seven additional Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative compliant travel documents for truck drivers. (Beginning June 1, 2009, drivers must report WHTI compliant documents on e-Manifests: Truck or the manifests will be rejected.)
CBP has posted the testimony of Acting Commission Ahern on the Secure Border Initiative before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Homeland Security. (Testimony, given 03/10/09, available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/congressional_test/ahern_sbi.xml)
The International Trade Commission has released its new online Harmonized Tariff Schedule Online Reference Tool.
The Food and Drug Administration is announcing two public workshops on April 21 - 22, 2009 and May 19 - 20, 2009 in Fayetteville, Arkansas that are intended to provide information about FDA food labeling regulations and food protection, and other related subjects to the regulated industry, particularly small businesses and startups.
The Census Bureau has posted to its Web site the January 2009 issue of its Automated Export System (AES) Newsletter.