CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota (TRQ) and tariff preference level (TPL) commodity report as of March 2, 2009. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, tobacco, certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs, etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying apparel and/or other textile articles, the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics, etc. (Weekly commodity report available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/textiles_and_quotas/commodity/)
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.
On February 25, 2009 the American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) sent a letter to President Obama advocating a "stimulus package for trade."
Sources at U.S. Customs and Border Protection and a recent National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) webinar have provided an update on using the new Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) chapter1 containingthe Participating Government Agencies (PGA) data set for submitting the Lacey Act Amendments declaration for imported plants and plant products.
The Port of Los Angeles has issued a press release on the February 18, 2009 start of its collection of a Clean Truck Fee for the Clean Trucks Program (CTP). (News release, dated 02/18/09, available at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/newsroom/2009_releases/news_021809_ctp.asp)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS regarding the new Participating Government Agencies Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) chapter that it recently posted to its Web site.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has published a notice announcing revisions to its enforcement phase-in plan for the Lacey Act Amendment declaration requirement for imported plants and plant products, provided information on its exemptions, etc.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has refiled for Federal Register publication its notice that announces a revision to its enforcement phase-in plan for the Lacey Act Amendment declaration requirement for imported plants and plant products, etc. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/23/09 news, 09012305, for BP summary of pulled notice.) (Draft FR notice available at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2009-02232_PI.pdf)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has pulled a notice that was intended to be published in the January 23, 2009 Federal Register, that would have announced a revision to its enforcement phase-in plan for the Lacey Act Amendment declaration requirement for imported plants and plant products, provided information on its exemptions, etc.
The following are the trade-related bills and resolutions that were introduced in the House or Senate during January 6-7, 2009:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has posted to its Lacey Act Web page new PPQ Form 505 (December 2008), entitled "Plant and Plant Product Declaration Form" for imported plants and plant products.