The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule, effective July 6, 2004, which amends 21 CFR Parts 1, 10, and 16 to provide procedures for the administrative detention of an article of food, if an officer or qualified employee of the FDA has credible evidence or information indicating that such article presents a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to humans or animals.
CBP CROSS Rulings
CBP issues binding advance rulings in connection with the importation of merchandise into the United States. They issue the rulings to give the trade community transparency of how CBP will treat a prospective import or carrier transaction. Common rulings include the tariff classification, country of origin, or free trade agreement applicability of merchandise, among other things. These rulings are available in CBP's Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) database.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses (dated May 25, 2004), labeled as pertaining to "All Modes" of transportation, for the inbound portion of its final rule on the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, and truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP's) previous versions of its frequently asked questions (FAQ) and responses on the inbound portion of its final rule requiring the advance electronic presentation of information pertaining to cargo (sea, air, rail, and truck) prior to its being brought into, or sent from, the U.S. was divided into two sections - one entitled "All Modes" and one entitled "Vessel Mode."
According to a Journal of Commerce editorial, the debate over container security has shifted and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS') newly formed Container Working Group, not U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is the driving force.
In the May 26, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 22), CBP issued notices: (a) modifying a classification ruling on an envelope-style clutch, and (b) revoking or modifying two classification rulings regarding abdominal training systems. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.
On May 18, 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice announcing that it is extending until July 13, 2004 the comment period regarding all aspects of its interim final rule on prior notice of imported food shipments.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing that its Office of Field Operations and its Office of Information and Technology are in the process of conducting various public meetings at several of the major land borders across the U.S to present the major provisions of its regulations and policies on the advance electronic presentation of information for inbound truck cargo and to answer questions from affected parties.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued an administrative message announcing that on May 17, 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the writs of certiorari filed by Thomson Inc. and CF Industries, in which they asked the court to review decisions by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) which upheld the harbor maintenance fee (HMF) on waterborne imports and waterborne domestic unloadings.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) makes available on its Web site a complete list of its informed compliance publications (ICPs), including a pdf file for each publication.
In the May 19, 2004 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (CBP Bulletin) (Vol. 38, No. 21), CBP issued notices: (a) modifying two classification rulings on metalized embroidery thread and decorative wired trim, and (b) revoking two classification rulings on karaoke machines. CBP states that it is also revoking any treatment it has previously accorded to substantially identical transactions that are contrary to its position in these notices.