Cross-Border Trucking: To Be or Not To Be

In March, we posted about a pending agreement between the Obama administration and the Mexican government to breathe new life into the cross-border trucking program that was cancelled in 2009. As of July 6, the U.S. and Mexican governments officially signed off on the agreement, establishing a new pilot program for authorized Mexican truckers to…

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Commercial Invoice Must Haves

Most foreign exporters don’t bat an eye when tasked with completing a commercial invoice. Some will tell you that they know their invoices well enough to fill them out in their sleep. Yet, an inaccurate or incomplete commercial invoice is one of the most common errors found during a U.S. Customs audit. In order to…

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5 Must-Listen Global Trade Podcasts

Whether you're listening to it while at the gym, in the car, or lounging by the pool, an ipod or mp3 player can be a wonderful little device to have on hand. Sure you can use it to listen to your favorite songs but what about podcasts? Podcasts are audio "episodes" or programs that you…

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The Importance of Follow-Up on Corrective Action

If U.S. Customs issues you a corrective action, what should do? Should you a) make the correction as quickly as possible or b) do nothing? The answer: A. You should ALWAYS make the correction as quickly as possible. On June 15, in U.S. v. Trek Leather Inc. and Harish Shadadpuri, the Court of International Trade…

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Visit Export.gov for Extravaganza of Free Exporter Resources

If you're a U.S. exporter looking to enhance your company's trade prospects and overseas market development, make sure you check out export.gov. Managed by the International Trade Administration, export.gov is an online clearinghouse of information and online resources for export assistance programs and services. Don't let the fact that the government designed this site keep…

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No Longer Baffled by BAF, CAF, and FAF: A Glossary of Transportation Surcharges

Many shippers don't know about the vast array of transportation surcharges that their goods may incur while traversing the globe. Avoid sticker shock when open your next invoice by expanding your knowledge of these surcharges. accessorial charge Charged by a transportation carrier for providing services other than basic transportation (forklift, heavy lift, etc.). Also known…

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U.S.-Mexico Cross-Border Trucking Rises From the Dead. Again.

President Obama and Mexican President Calderon recently announced a joint program to breathe life back into the once terminated U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking program. The agreement between the two countries will allow Mexican trucking companies to legally operate in the United States, while eliminating the retaliatory tariffs imposed by Mexico when President Obama announced the termination…

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