International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 27-31 in case they were missed.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 20-24 in case they were missed.
CBP could begin processing drawback claims as soon as October if all goes according to the plans of a group of customs brokers and importers challenging CBP’s failure to meet a February deadline, said John Peterson of Neville Peterson, who represents those brokers and importers in the case at the Court of International Trade.
The House could pass the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill in the first week or so following a return from recess after Labor Day "if they think that they can get it passed and get it through the president to sign," said Jon Kent, a lobbyist for the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America with Kent & O'Connor. One potential issue could be inconsistency concerns within the administration over tariff cuts on many goods that come from China as other tariffs are being added under Section 301 and other trade remedies, Kent said.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
CBP will hold monthly calls about drawback filing under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, the agency said in a CSMS message. "The calls will take place on the last Wednesday of each month, August 29th to February 27th from 1:00 pm -- 2:00 pm Eastern Time," CBP said. The call-in number is 1-877-873-8017 and the code is 6215791. Drawback questions can go to Randy.mitchell@cbp.dhs.gov.
Drawback seems to be an area of growing interest for companies worried about the new tariffs, said Doug Zuvich, a partner in KPMG's Trade and Customs Services group, during an Aug. 20 webinar hosted by KPMG. "What's really important about this, whether you manufacture or you're just distributing, exporting the products, you can get your refunds back even if it's not the same products that you export. It could be domestic products," he said. "So some companies are using this strategically, and where they have multiple decentralized businesses, they're actually looking at which of the businesses are exporting similar-type products and which are importing, and they're actually strategically matching them up. Other companies that we know of are looking at acquisitions and ways to take advantage of this because it's a significant way to get ahead of these duties."
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 13-17 in case they were missed.
CBP denied a request from the Distilled Spirits Council for more time to comment on the agency's proposed rules for drawback under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (see 1808020049). The DSC requested an additional 15 days to comment beyond the current deadline of Sept. 17. "CBP wants to receive your input on the proposed regulations," said Alice Kipel, executive director of CBP's Office of Trade Regulations and Rulings, in the denial. "Unfortunately, CBP is unable to grant your request for additional time, as there is a need to finalize a rule prior to the statutory deadline of February 23, 2019," she said.
CBP mistakenly included "an exemption for drawback claims for wine which included an imprecise reference" within the agency's proposed rules for drawback under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act (see 1808020049), CBP said in a notice. CBP said it inadvertently referenced a section that "implements the statutory prohibition on double drawback." As "evident from the entirety of the proposed rule," that paragraph, "applies to all drawback claims for wine," the agency said.