Licensed Customs Broker

CBP is considering an expansion to the definition of "importer" under Importer Security Filing (ISF) regulations, the agency said in a notice (here). The proposed changes are meant "to ensure that the party that has the best access to the required information will be the party that is responsible for filing the ISF," the agency said. The proposed changes would "simply shift the legal responsibility in some cases for filing the ISF from one party to another for a subset of the total cargo," though "in the vast majority of cases, there will be no change in who submits the data," CBP said. Comments are due Sept. 6.

The use of a single bank account by multiple companies to fund CBP Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) accounts doesn't count as "customs business," CBP said in a June 3 ruling (here). CBP weighed in on the issue in the ruling, HQ H261011, at the request of one of the companies that is considering the use of a joint bank account. The ACH accounts are programmed to automatically sweep monies out of an account electronically to pay duties to CBP.

The October customs broker’s license examination is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 5, CBP said in a notice (here). While usually scheduled for the first Monday in October, the first Monday coincides with the observance of the religious holiday of Rosh Hashanah, CBP said. The exam typically consists of 80 multiple-choice questions, with a score of 75 percent required to pass.

There's a wide range of approaches among customs regimes for overseeing customs brokers around the world, said a World Customs Organization report on the subject released May 31 (here). "There are several practices in terms of regulatory/licensing requirements, roles and responsibilities, fees and charges, cooperation mechanism between Customs and brokers," the report's summary said. The report also includes some "suggested policy and organizational considerations on Customs Brokers regime and a model checklist for licensing/regulating brokers," the WCO said in a news release (here).

The U.S. is pushing for advance ruling procedures based on its own rules, a 48-hour target for release of goods, and a process which would set a four-hour guideline for clearing expedited shipments under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, according to documents claimed to be leaked from TTIP's customs and trade facilitation text. While neither the U.S. nor EU confirmed authenticity of the documents, both sides criticized conclusions made based on the texts. The customs text is one of 13 chapters leaked, according to Greenpeace Netherlands, which posted the texts (here).

Mohawk Global Trade Advisors hired Adrienne Graddy as a senior advisor, the company said in a news release (here). Graddy, a licensed customs broker, previously worked in the "regulatory divisions at several of Chicago's most prominent businesses," said Mohawk.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The head of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee broker regulations working group previewed more than 30 recommendations that are set to be considered at the April 27 COAC meeting. Cindy Allen, the leader of the working group and CEO of Trade Force Multiplier, discussed the recommendations during a panel at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America conference on April 20. Already OK'd by the Trade Modernization subcommittee, the recommendations must still be approved by the full COAC before they are finalized and given to CBP, she said. As a result, there's a chance that some of the language could still change, Allen said.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The customs reauthorization law makes for an "exciting and perhaps challenging" time for customs brokers, CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske said during a speech at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America conference on April 20. He pointed to new requirements that brokers collect information on new and foreign importers and CBP's ability to revoke licenses due to terrorist involvement, as well as other pieces that will have the biggest effect on brokers. Kerlikowske was scheduled to testify on the new law for a Senate Finance Committee hearing scheduled for April 20, but it may be postponed so Kerlikowske can attend the funeral of a recently killed border agent, he said.

China Customs forms have new fields for trade region, country of origin/final destination, special relation confirmation, price impact confirmation, and royalty payment confirmation, according to a directive of the General Customs Administration (GAC) of China cited by global logistics company Expeditors (here). The forms also no longer have fields for foreign exchange permit number, customs remarks, release date, declaration form print date, and broker contact information, said the company. Those changes and others went into effect March 30, two days after GAC published Announcement No. 20 (here), which ordered revisions to China’s Import/Export Declaration Form. They are the first revisions to the form since 2008, said the company.

Everglory Logistics acquired LITESHIP International, a customs brokerage in Boston, for an undisclosed amount, Everglory said in a news release (here). "The acquisition of LITESHIP has also set in motion plans to create a seamless, full-service customer experience integrating forwarding and Customs brokerage," Everglory said. "It also provides a roadmap for future software updates that will unify both processes in a single system for our customers." Everglory now has three licensed brokers, it said.