Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is increasing its enforcement efforts by targeting importers it suspects may have compliance deficiencies.

After CBP deploys the ACE Protest Module, which is currently scheduled for Aug. 29, participants with an ACE protest filer account will be able to file electronic protests in ACE.

Assessments paid by importers of cotton and cotton-containing products under the Cotton Research and Promotion Order will fall 8.3 percent under a direct final rule issued by the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

Importers and exporters of animals and animal products, which include everything from apparel to cosmetics to luggage, will face stricter enforcement of Fish and Wildlife Service data reporting requirements once electronic submissions through the Automated Commercial Environment are required later this year. Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg will be conducting a webinar Sept. 29 to review these changes.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has issued a final rule that, effective Sept. 20, will revise procedures and requirements for filing import, export and reexport documentation for certain fishery products.

S. 764 prohibits states or other entities from mandating labels of food or seed that is genetically engineered. Instead, the Department of Agriculture must establish within two years through rulemaking a uniform national disclosure standard for human food that is or may be bioengineered.

As of one year after the rule is published (which should be soon) covered goods that are sold, supplied, offered for sale, manufactured or imported in the U.S. must be, and must be labeled as being, in compliance with the formaldehyde emission standards established by Congress in 2010.

Mexico became the 87th member of the World Trade Organization to ratify the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement July 26, the latest step toward the 109 (two-thirds of WTO membership) that must formally accept the TFA before it enters into force.

As of Aug. 29 the Automated Commercial Environment Protest Module will be the sole authorized electronic data interchange system for filing electronic protests and filers who intend to submit a protest electronically must use the ACE Protest Module.

The U.S. said it will be prepared to engage in conversations about how to best develop a trade and investment relationship with the UK “at the appropriate time.”

Following a controversial decision by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that the use of certain screws should be considered in determining their classification even though the two subheadings at issue are both eo nomine provisions, the Court of International Trade has issued a remand decision that the screws are properly considered self-tapping screws.

A June 30 presidential proclamation added travel goods under 28 HTSUS subheadings (including luggage, backpacks, handbags and pocket goods such as wallets) to the list of GSP-eligible products but only for least-developed beneficiary developing countries (of which there are currently 43) and African Growth and Opportunity Act beneficiary countries (of which there are currently 38).

European Union Chief Negotiator Ignacio García Bercero indicated at the conclusion of the 14th round of talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership that while the two sides are now at an “advanced stage of the negotiations” a lot of work still needs to be done.