Licensed Customs Broker

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 10-14 in case they were missed.

The costs of using a private, third-party Central Examination Site (CES) designated by CBP should be the responsibility of the importer, rather than the customs broker, said Cataract Customs Brokers in comments to CBP. The comments were filed in response to a seemingly unconnected Federal Register notice announcing the date and agenda for the Dec. 4 meeting of the Advisory Committee for Commercial Operations (COAC).

The legislation introduced Dec. 7 by House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) to modernize CBP and other customs-related agencies would set a minimum standard for the amount of information customs brokers would be required to collect about an importer.

CBP said the following customs broker licenses, as well as any and all permits, have been canceled with prejudice::

National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America plans a webinar at 1 p.m. ET Dec. 13 on changes affecting the regulation of property brokers & surface freight forwarders as a result of the Transportation Bill signed this summer. It said the bill includes language affecting the regulation of property brokers, domestic freight forwarders and trucking firms. They include new registration and licensing requirements, and a 750 percent increase in the minimum amount of the property broker's bond. Additionally, surface freight forwarders will need to post a similar $75,000 bond. Learn how and why these changes came about, and gain a perspective on the statutory changes and the general underwriting environment for these bonds.

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices for Dec. 10 (Note that some may also be given separate headlines.)

CBP issued a notice announcing that hundreds of Customs broker licenses are revoked by operation of law, without prejudice, for failure to file the 2012 triennial status report and applicable fee.

Federal Maritime Commission said the following have filed applications for a license as a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVO) and/or Ocean Freight Forwarder (OFF)-Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) pursuant to section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984. The FMC also gave notice of the filing of applications to amend an existing OTI license or the qualifying individual for a license. Interested persons may contact the Office of Transportation Intermediaries, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, D.C. 20573, at 202-523-5843 or at OTI@fmc.gov.

Gerardo Chavez, the president of the San Diego Customs Broker Association, pleaded guilty to organizing a conspiracy to import foreign-made goods in to the U.S. without paying customs duties, said the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. Another person charged in the case, Carlos Medina, also pleaded guilty, the Justice Department said. As a part of the plea deal, Chavez will cancel his customs broker license, forfeit property, and pay restitution of as much as $18 million.

The Court of International Trade ordered C.H. Robinson to pay $106,407.86 in unpaid duties, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, on wearing apparel from China entered for transportation and exportation (T&E) to Mexico but allegedly diverted into U.S. commerce. CIT did not allege C.H. Robinson was party to the diversion scheme, but found that as carrier C.H. Robinson was liable for payment of the duties. C.H. Robinson provided proof of arrival at the port of exportation, but could not prove actual exportation of the merchandise after a CBP investigation indicated the merchandise was missing.