Published September 20, 2016 by

FDA Posts 2016 FSMA Renewal Announcement

Food and Drug Administration posted Biennial Registration Renewal.  All food facilities must renew their registration with FDA from October 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.  FDA renewal post is available at http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FoodFacilityRegistration/ucm324780.htm. Registration requirement applies to domestic (U.S.) and foreign (non-U.S.) food facilities. Facility means any establishment, structure, or structures under one ownership at one general physical location, or, in the case of a mobile facility, traveling to multiple locations, that manufactures/processes, packs, or holds food for consumption in the United States.  

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Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Food and Drug Administration Food Drug and Cosmetic Act Food Products

Published February 25, 2016 by

H.R.644 – Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015

Yesterday, Mr. Obama approved law affecting trade generally, and customs law particularly.  The Act is available at this link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/644/text The law will affect informal entries under 19 U.S.C. 1321 raising the ceiling to $800.  The law now specifically prohibits licensed customs brokers to engage in terrorist activities.  HTSUS subheadings 9802.00.40 and 9802.00.50 may be commingled with fungible articles.  Certain drawback provisions have been revised.  HTSUS provisions for apparel in Chapter 62, footwear in Chapter 64 incurred revisions.  Manhole rings renamed to castings.  And Nepal received further preferential treatment on some products… among other things.  

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Product Regulation Trade Agreements U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Customs and Border Protection Labeling & Marking Textile & Apparel Products

Published December 1, 2015 by

April 2013 CBE Preparation YouTube Upload is Complete

Training & Development U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Customs and Border Protection

Published February 10, 2014 by

Websites to check prior to proceeding with U.S. Exports and Imports (Revisited)

Few years back, we published a list of links that U.S. based international trade community should check prior to engaging in a transaction.  Time has come to update the list with a Foreign Sanctions Evader List. OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals List ; OFAC’s Foreign Sanctions Evader List; BIS’s Entity List; BIS’s Denied Persons List; BIS’s Unverified Parties List; ISN’s Nonproliferation Sanctions Lists. DDTC’s Debarred Parties List. Another list maintained by the System for Award Management (SAM) – Excluded Parties List System – may also be relevant in the case of federal contracts.

Read More Websites to check prior to proceeding with U.S. Exports and Imports (Revisited)

Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Bureau of Industry and Security Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Department of Commerce Office of Foreign Assets Control U.S. Department of State U.S. Department of the Treasury

Published March 6, 2013 by

CBP’s Post Entry Procedural Due Process Disclosure Manual

Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits federal government, which includes Customs and Border Protection (CBP), from depriving a person of property without due process of law.  Fifth Amendment requires CBP to follow adequate procedures before a person is deprived of property.  LawCustoms editor has not investigated as to whether money = property under the Fifth Amendment, but if it did, then CBP’s Protest/Petition Processing Handbook  would be probative of CBP’s compliance with Due Process requirements. The handbook was issued by CBP’s Headquarters (HQ) for field offices or ports throughout the United States.  Accordingly, it is a command by HQ to follow enumerated procedures at the post entry stage.  For importers, customs brokers, and attorneys, the Handbook can be a treasure trove because the deviation from CBP’s Handbook to the detriment of the complainant, can be a cause for overturning CBP’s decision.  For example, the deviation from the Handbook, can be used as a tool to file the request to void the denial of protest under 19 U.S.C. § 1515(d) (2011). Besides official administrative actions, the Handbook can also be helpful in conversations with CBP officials.  CBP, like customs brokerage community, is transforming to become a more centralized and efficient…

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U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Customs and Border Protection Drawback Post Entry Amendment Protest

Published May 10, 2012 by

BIS Export Violations Custom Search

Members of trade community may find a search engine, which is geared specifically to crawl through export violations reported by BIS in its FOIA page, to be a useful tool.  BIS lists export violations in a non-searcheable PDF format.  Google’s custom search tool, however, allows one to browse through otherwise non-searchable files.  By way of example, if one would like to see if any export violations for 2B230, one would find following entities listed: Lam Research, Foxsemicon, and Mattson.  Keep in mind that the search is limited only to those violations BIS actually posts on its export violations page.  Check it out: BIS EXPORT VIOLATIONS SEARCH 

Read More BIS Export Violations Custom Search

Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Bureau of Industry and Security Export Administration Regulations

Published April 30, 2012 by

American Bar Association

Many of us are busy with the daily hurdles at work, school, home, and elsewhere.  But once in a while we all need to take a step back or aside and think about the big picture.  In those moments, a good question to think about perhaps would be a purpose of your actions and the daily deeds.  Such a holistic question cannot be answered in a vacuum and general perspectives of other thinkers may prove to be helpful, especially if those thinkers are like minded individuals.  Part of LawCustoms project is to seek out communities of people interested in international trade and share their perspectives.  Today, LawCustoms would like to share resources made available by one such community at the American Bar Association: the International Law Section Committees: International Trade Committee.  The committee “follows international trade proceedings and trade policy, primarily with regard to the regulation of imports, both in the United States and abroad.”  It makes available to the general public a variety of publications and program materials related to the international trade topic. Customs Law Committee.  Publishes newsletters and publications related to customs law. Export Controls and Economic Sanctions Committee.  Makes available good educational, training, and practical materials…

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Training & Development Useful Links

Published December 27, 2011 by

Useful Links: United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant and Plant Product Permits Veterinary Services, National Center for Import and Export Foreign Agricultural Service General Sales Manager Online System Global Agricultural Trade System Food Safety Inspection Service Foreign establishments certified to export meat, poultry and egg products to the United States FSIS Jurisdiction Over Flavor Products Containing Meat or Poultry Regulations and Policies Agricultural Marketing Service Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) 

Read More Useful Links: United States Department of Agriculture

Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Agricultural Marketing Service Animal and Plant Inspection Service Food Safety Inspection Service Foreign Agricultural Service United States Department of Agriculture

Published December 26, 2011 by

Useful Links: Canada

Sovereign Nations Useful Links

Canada

Published December 25, 2011 by

Useful Links: Environmental Protection Agency

Importing and Exporting Chemical Substances TSCA Import & Export Requirements Section 13 Import Certification TSCA Import Compliance Guide (2008) Substance Registry System Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Hazardous Waste Import / Export Requirements  

Read More Useful Links: Environmental Protection Agency

Product Regulation U.S. Federal Agencies Useful Links

Chemical Products Computers & Electronic Products Environmental Protection Agency