CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of July 28. This report (here) 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.
Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated July 28 with 43 rulings, bringing the total number of searchable rulings to 183,071. The most recent ruling is dated 07/28/14.
In the July 23 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 29), CBP published notices that propose to modify or revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of ceramic drinking vessels and dumplings.
CBP released more statistics on its seizures of goods for intellectual property rights violations during fiscal year 2013. The agency previously issued a similar breakdown of the agency's IPR seizures for the year (see 14032417). According to the additional statistics, top safety and security products seized include: (i) pharmaceuticals (representing 57% of MSRP), (ii) consumer electronics (16%); (iii) critical technology components (13%); (iv) batteries (6%); (v) ball bearings (2%); (vi) sporting goods (2%); (vii) automotive (2%) and cigarettes, chemicals, knives and all others accounting for 1% or less. The new document also breaks down the products seized from China, Hong Kong, India, Korea and Singapore.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 21 - 25 in case they were missed.
The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) hired Patrick Atagi as vice president of advocacy and external affairs. Atagi previously worked as managing partner of NorthStar Policy Navigation. "Atagi will be responsible for developing and delivering association messaging, raising and maintaining a high profile for NWPCA, and cultivating new programs and services to further strengthen the industry," the association said in a press release.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP identified 16 applicants that the agency plans to enter reimbursable services agreements with, the agency said. CBP will notify the necessary congressional committees of the plans before the agreements are finalized, it said. CBP received 25 total applicants for the program, which allows for private companies to reimburse the agency for expanded services at certain locations, after requested applications in March (see 14040115), it said. CBP used a panel of CBP senior executives with "management and field expertise" to make the selections, it said.
CBP's extension for the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot (see 14072515) will allow the agency to improve the program, said Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association (AfA), in an email. The AfA "sees the extension of the ACAS voluntary pilot program as a positive development since we have been advocating for an opportunity for more forwarders to join program and submit important data to test operational assumptions," he said. "Forwarders come in all sizes with varying resources and business models. Including their data submissions in the ACAS pilot will help CBP increase its understanding of our industry and its value to air cargo security." The AfA had previously voiced some concerns over a lack of input from smaller businesses regarding ACAS before CBP publishes rules for the program (see 14060522).
In the July 23 issue of the CBP Customs Bulletin (Vol. 48, No. 29), CBP published notices that propose to modify or revoke rulings and similar treatment for the tariff classification of wind turbine frames and kayaks.