CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of Dec. 9. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, and tobacco; and certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, OFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, OFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying textile articles and/or other articles; the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc.
CBP's New York Field Office will be among a number of federal agencies to take space in One World Trade Center in New York City, the General Services Administration (GSA) said in a press release. CBP will leave space it leased in Midtown Manhattan to join the GSA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on six floors in the building, said the GSA. The agencies are planning to move in late 2015 to floors 50 through 55, said GSA.
All new bonded facility applications submitted to the Port of Seattle must include CBP Form 3078 (Application for Identification Card) to "allow for the gathering of the most up-to-date information," said CBP's Seattle Field Office in a trade information notice. Effective Dec. 2, each new application must include a Form 3078 for all facility officers, principals and individuals with access to facility recordkeeping, it said. CBP said in March it would begin to handle the background checks of bonded facility employees, using the Trusted Worker Module and Global Enrollment System for the vetting (see 13030411).
CBP released two reports related to the "Beyond the Border" initiative, a long-term plan meant to improve processing of trade and travel between Canada and the U.S. Both documents review and compare CBP's Importer Self-Assessment and Canada's Customs Self-Assessment programs.
CBP released its Dec. 11 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 47, No. 49). While the Bulletin does not contain any ruling articles, it does include recent Court of International Trade decisions and general notices.
CBP posted its fiscal year 2013 Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act (also known as the "Byrd Amendment") annual report (here). Among other things, CBP lists $45.6 million in antidumping duties that are awaiting collection and then disbursement, which will occur in the year in which the monies are received.
CBP posted the Oct. 7, 2013, customs broker exam (here) and answer key (here).
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Dec. 2-6 in case they were missed.
The Gardere law firm's Dallas office added three international trade lawyers from Braumiller Schulz, Gardere said in a press release. Michelle Schulz and Elsa Manzanares join Gardere as partners and Kate Purdom will join the firm as an associate, it said.
Taggart International acquired Customs and Trade Services, a customs brokerage, for an undisclosed price, the companies said. The purchase is expected to "be a positive event" for both companies, said Taggart President Elizabeth Scarbrough by email. Taggart, a freight forwarder, adds a new office in Miami as a result of the acquisition, it said.