CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act and subsequent amendments make it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, or acquire any plant, fish or wildlife obtained in violation of U.S., tribal or foreign law, as well as any injurious wildlife. The law is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and CBP. APHIS has been implementing Lacey Act declaration requirements since 2009. Lacey Act declarations may be filed by the importer of record or its licensed customs broker, and include information on imported item's species name, value, quantity, and country where it was harvested.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is affirming as final a 2016 interim rule that would essentially ban the import of all species of salamanders because of a lethal fungus that the salamanders can carry and spread among the salamander population, it said in a Federal Register notice.
CBP created Harmonized System Update 2420 on Dec. 27, containing 5,459 Automated Broker Interface (ABI) records and 905 Harmonized Tariff Schedule Records, according to a Dec. 27 cargo systems message.
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.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The Senate Appropriations Committee issued its proposal for funding the Department of Homeland Security, asserting its bill could get the bipartisan support needed to pass that chamber. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has previously said he would prefer to delay spending decisions until next year, when the House, Senate and White House will have Republican majorities. However, some observers believe Republicans would be better served by passing during the lame-duck session appropriations for the fiscal year that goes through September, freeing up Congress to spend its time in 2025 on the massive tax bill and other policy Trump administration priorities (see 2411120026).
Trade groups representing home appliance manufacturers, automakers, apparel brands, cosmetics companies and pharmacists -- along with consumer product safety tester Underwriters Laboratory -- held the first "Shop Safely" day at a House of Representatives office building's foyer.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is making changes to its list of Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes the agency plans to implement Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
Ocean carrier ZIM Integrated Shipping Service Ltd. and logistics firm CEVA Freight violated the Shipping Act by charging the “unreasonable” sum of $180,860 for the detention of three containers that the U.S. government temporarily seized at the Port of Charleston in South Carolina, International Lumber Imports (ILI) said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission last week.