CBP Adjusts Customs User Fees for Inflation

CBP Adjusts Customs User Fees for Inflation

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has released a notice detailing plans to increase the following Customs user fees by 8.933 percent to reflect inflation, effective October 1. Import clients will see an increase in their U.S. Customs user fees—minimum and maximum Merchandise Processing Fees (MPF)—effective October 1, 2020. Below are examples of the current…

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Executive Order Ends Special Treatment for Hong Kong and Expands Sanctions

A Hong Kong Flag flies with a black and white city in the background.

On July 14, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ends preferential treatment for Hong Kong under provisions of the Export Control Reform Act and the Arms Export Control Act. This executive order also expands export restrictions, revoking all license exceptions for exports to Hong Kong for items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which provide “differential treatment compared to…

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New HTS Code for Medical Face Masks

New HTS Code for Medical Face Masks

Following the release of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on July 1, 2020, a series of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) updates were released that directly impact the importation of safety and medical masks. In the HTS Revision 14, plastic material masks and face shields now have an HTS of their own. Instead of using HTS 3926.90.9990, importers must…

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Fact Sheets: Differences Between USMCA & NAFTA

Fact Sheets: Differences Between USMCA & NAFTA

With the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) taking effect on July 1, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted a series of fact sheets on the requirements and differences between USMCA and the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been in place since January 1994 and will end following the implementation of USMCA,…

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From Civil to Criminal: Increased Enforcement of Forced Labor Violations

From Civil to Criminal: Increased Enforcement of Forced Labor Violations

In the latest series of developments, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to launch criminal investigations—within the next two years—against executives whose companies have benefited from forced labor in their supply chains. This is a considerable step up from limiting prosecutions to civil penalties, as criminal proceedings could end in 20-year prison sentences for…

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Penalties Increase for Export Violations

Penalties Increase for Export Violations

The Department of Commerce and Department of State have increased the civil monetary penalties for export violations to account for inflation. Regardless of when the violation occurred, it is important to recognize that these new amounts are retroactive and can be charged against each violation. Here is a summary of the penalty increases: The maximum…

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