International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
CBP is banning imports of aluminum extrusions and profile products made by Kingtom Aluminio S.R.L., after finding the use of forced labor at the company’s factory in the Dominican Republic. The agency’s forced labor finding means “aluminum extrusions and profile products and derivatives produced or manufactured wholly or in part by Kingtom Aluminio” using aluminum goods of Chapter 76 of the tariff schedule will be detained beginning Dec. 4, as will any such goods that have already been imported but not yet released from CBP custody by that date.
CBP has determined that Kingtom Aluminio's aluminum extrusions were produced or manufactured using forced labor, the agency said in a notice. The determination applies to any merchandise imported on or after Dec. 4, as well as any merchandise that has been imported into the U.S. but has not been released from CBP custody.
In the Nov. 27 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 58, No. 47), CBP published proposals to modify or revoke ruling letters concerning MTD Cub Cadet utility vehicles and external defibrillators and their components.
CBP created Harmonized System Update 2419 on Nov. 29, containing 6,479 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records and 1,487 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records. HSU 2419 includes the AL1 tariff flag for Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions for certain imported plant and wood products, effective Dec. 1 (see 2409200018). The HSU also reflects the completion of the flagging updates to 1700 HTS codes to remove the AM7 flag. This removal process started Oct. 18 and is now complete.
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted a threat on Nov. 30 that he had earlier made on the campaign trail -- that he will impose 100% tariffs on exports from countries who try to create a workaround to trading in dollars, the world's reserve currency.
If President Trump were to impose 25% tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian imports, because he believes those countries are not doing enough to stop migration and drug trafficking, no industry would be hurt more than the auto industry.
Brandon Chen, who took the April 2022 customs broker license exam, appealed the final results of his exam to the Court of International Trade, contesting 11 questions that CBP denied him credit for. Filing a complaint at the trade court on Nov. 25, Chen noted that he is only two correct answers away from a passing score of 75% (Brandon Chen v. U.S., CIT # 24-00208).
In the Nov. 27 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 58, No. 47), CBP published proposals to revoke ruling letters concerning forklift accessories.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters: