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Committees

AAEI committees are the true leaders of the advocacy efforts we champion and support. As a member, you have access to 10 substantive committees, most of which meet online once a month, to discuss practical solutions to the challenges facing the trade community. Gain valuable insights and lend your voice to the conversation that ultimately generates AAEI trade actions.

Learn more about each committee below:

Customs Policy & Procedures Committee

Drawback and Duty Deferral Committee

Export and Global Trade Compliance Committee

Industry Verticals Committee

Healthcare Industries Committee

Supply Chain Resiliency Committee

Trade Policy Committee

Committee Updates

Must be an AAEI member to attend Committee Meetings.

Customs Policy and Procedures

January 2, 2025 – The Customs Committee held an out-of-cycle meeting to hear from U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection’s (CBP’s) representatives from the Office of Trade. Among the issues they discussed were de minimis screening improvements and CBP staffing. The Forced Labor Prevention Task Force provided suggestions on the Customs Committee’s comments on CBP’s new Forced Labor Allegation Portal. 

Committee Targets: Discussion draft of Trade Facilitation legislation; other recent trade bills; progress on Forced Labor compliance; 21CCF; Trusted Trader

Next Meeting: TBA

Drawback and Duty Deferral

January 2, 2025 – Committee members are looking at a recent court decision in Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. v. United States and its impact on an HTS issue involving “Other Other” for drawback filers.

Committee Targets: Passage of 1313(j)(5) proposal; privilege application and ruling delays; inconsistencies in direction with drawback filing at The Centers; export manifest for proof of export

Next Meeting: TBA

Export and Global Trade Compliance

January 2, 2025 – Gerry Horner, Chief of Census’s Trade Regulations Branch, joined the Export and Global Trade Compliance Committee (EGTC) for its quarterly meeting in October.  Mr. Horner provided updates on an upcoming NPRM, new routed export transaction regulations, and more.

Members of the committee met with the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) this month to hear about upcoming rulemaking on connected vehicles.

Committee targets: Advocacy for Export Modernization; compliance requirements for international sanctions; global trade compliance; leveraging global partnerships with regional trade associations; World Customs Organization advisory; multilateral trade coalitions

Next Meeting: TBA

Industry Verticals

January 2, 2025 – Focuses on the importing and exporting of goods from various industries, including automotive, aerospace, food, chemicals, textiles, apparel, and footwear.

Committee targets: One U.S. Government at the Border (1USG); harmonized entry processes for all PGAs; Enforcement of Forced Labor Prevention laws involving apparel and footwear; Canadian “first sale;” Section 301 tariffs; Tracking e-commerce compliance; BIS proposed rule on imports of vehicle connectivity system hardware; Automotive industry concerns, including USMCA rules; streamlining importer compliance for 9808 Military Duty-Free Provision; use of AI in the import process

Next Meeting: TBA

Healthcare Industries

January 2, 2025 – The Q4 meeting of the Healthcare Industries Committee (HIC) will review presentations from FDA and CBP officials on updates on their agencies, including 2025 planning. The committee’s working group will provide updates at the next HIC meeting.

Committee targets: Healthcare-specific benchmarking; quarterly meetings with FDA; Improving intended use codes; Recommendations for FDA on Import for Export (IFE).

Next Meeting: TBA

Supply Chain Resiliency

January 2, 2025 – The Supply Chain Resiliency Committee is monitoring developments with a potential ILA strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. Earlier this Fall, the committee hosted a webinar on the aftermath of the East Coast port work stoppage.

Committee targets: Supply Chain white paper;  Implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 and the 2022 Ocean Shipping Reform Act; FMC engagement; Demurrage and detention guidelines; supply chain infrastructure

Next Meeting: TBA

Trade Policy

January 2, 2025 – The Trade Policy Committee discussed the implications of proposed tariff increases under the new administration. The committee also reviewed the results of its USMCA survey, which closed earlier in the month.

Committee targets: 2024 US trade policy; Section 301 tariffs review at USTR; MTB/GSP Renewal; Monitoring impact of TRQs

Next Meeting: TBA 

AAEI Note: Interested in any of these topics and committee meetings? Become an AAEI member! Find out how to join.

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Trade Policy Committee

Focuses on regional and special trade agreements, multilateral trade negotiations, dumping and countervailing duty issues, competition policy, legislation and macroeconomic policy as it affects international trade. This committee is generally aligned with US CBP’s leadership team.

Drawback and Duty Deferral Committee

Focuses on regulatory changes and administrative problems on same- condition and substitution drawback and special duty deferral programs, such as temporary import bond entries. Its goal is to get the Drawback Modernization Act passed immediately. Generally, matters of concern to Foreign Trade Zones and the Petroleum industry will be discussed, and sub-committees created as needed for specified topics. This group generally aligns with the USG CBP Drawback leadership.

Export and Global Trade Compliance Committee

Supports members engaged in U.S. export transactions and members with responsibility for trade operations and trade compliance programs globally. Discussion issues include export controls, sanctions programs, foreign barriers to U.S. exports, and the various regional challenges facing international compliance teams, such as monitoring trade developments around the world and addressing different local standards globally. This committee maintains a close alignment with the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), State Department, International Trade in Arms (ITAR), Census leadership, and the World Customs Organization, as well as leveraging partnerships with regional trade associations.

Textiles, Apparel and Footwear Committee

Focuses on the importing and exporting of textiles, apparel and footwear.

Healthcare Industries Committee

Supports members engaged and with responsibility for US trade /import operations including but not limited to FDA, USDA, CBP, other PGAs. This committee maintains a close engagement with legislative bodies and federal agencies to develop guidelines and workable solutions that facilitate the import and export of life saving drugs, biologics (including cell and gene therapies), and medical devices and also assist the agencies to fulfill their mission to ensure public health and safety.

Transpacific Committee

With primary focus on logistical issues impacting Transpacific Trade, this committee would also identify Transpacific trade issues which impact all members.