The Southern Shrimp Alliance voiced appreciation for the inclusion of Rep. Charles Boustany's Preventing Recurring Trade Evasion and Circumvention Act (PROTECT) within the the Customs Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2012 (HR-6642). HR-6642 was introduced Dec. 7 by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas).
CBP received no comments on proposed ruling revocations in a Nov. 7 bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 46), said a CBP spokesman. Comments were due Dec. 7 on two notices proposing to revoke rulings and similar treatment regarding the tariff classification of screwdrivers with interchangeable bits and valve cable supports.
CBP is extending the comment period to Jan. 10 for an existing information collection concerning deferral of duty on large yachts imported for sale. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to the information collected.
CBP said it resolved some problems it was experiencing with Bioterrorism Act (BTA) Prior Notices. The issues had to do with the processing posting properly to bills and in-bonds that are BTA satisfied, it said in a Dec. 7 CSMS message. CBP "continues to work on the bills and inbonds that received incorrect postings with regard to BTA prior notice between Wednesday, December 5 and the resumption of correct processing," it said.
CBP is extending the comment period to Jan. 10 for an existing information collection concerning CBP protest forms. CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to the information collected.
CBP is moving toward mutual recognition with Israel, the agency said in a press release. CBP Deputy Commissioner David Aguilar and Israeli Customs Director General Doron Arbely signed a joint work plan, said CBP Dec. 7. The work plan establishes a pathway to signing a mutual recognition agreement between CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and the Israeli Tax Authority’s Authorized Economic Operator Program.
Drawback claims made on goods exported to Chile after January 1, 2012 are subject to U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement special treatment as described in 19 U.S.C. 1313(j)(4)(B) and 1313(n), said CBP in a CSMS message. U.S. duty drawback on exportations to Chile started being phased out January 1, 2012, for the following types of drawback:
House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) introduced legislation Dec. 7 meant to modernize CBP and other customs-related agencies. Brady's bill, the Customs Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2012 (HR-6642), makes several changes to the organization of CBP, many of which mirror the changes of the customs bill introduced in 2009 by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and then-Finance Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
The Senate gave its approval for legislation (HR-6156) Dec. 6 that would give Russia and Moldova Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. The Senate approval means the next step will be a signature from President Barack Obama. The House recently approved the bill, which would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues: