U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a November 2006 version of its commercial importing guide entitled "Importing into the United States: A Guide for Commercial Importers."
Licensed Customs Broker
Customs brokers are entities who assist importers in meeting federal requirements governing imports into the United States. Brokers can be private individuals, partnerships, associations or corporations licensed, regulated and empowered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Customs brokers oversee transactions related to customs entry and admissibility of merchandise, product classification, customs valuation, payment of duties, taxes, or other charges such as refunds, rebates, and duty drawbacks. To obtain a customs broker license, an individual must pass the U.S. Customs Broker License Exam. Customs brokers are not government employees and should not be confused with CBP officials. There are approximately 11,000 active licensed customs brokers in the United States.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a proposed rule that would amend its regulations governing foreign and domestic drug establishment registration and listing for human drugs, including drugs that are regulated under a biologics license application, and animal drugs. Among other things, FDA's proposed rule would require electronic submission of all registration and most listing information rather than the current practice of submitting this information on paper forms.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site a fact sheet on Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Entry Summary, Accounts, and Revenue (ESAR) features that will be coming over the next few years.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a letter to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) covering, among other things, the export compliance responsibilities of the forwarding community.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has previously announced that the next Customs Broker License Examination will be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a revised version of its informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Textile Costumes Under the HTSUS.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that it has cancelled without prejudice 356 individual Customs broker licenses for failure to file the triennial status report and applicable fee, which were due February 28, 2006.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that the following two individual Customs broker licenses, as well as any and all permits, have been cancelled due to the death of the broker:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a new informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Classification of Cooking Ranges, Stoves and Ovens.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a new informed compliance publication (ICP) entitled, What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know About: Coffee