Package of Trade Bills Targeting China Advances
April 17, 2024 – The House Ways and Means Committee announced a package of trade bills targeting China this week. The package went to markup today, where a variety of amendments were proposed.
The package includes measures that AAEI members follow closely, including a bill on de minimis and renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
Read more on the bills and amendments from the House Ways and Means Committee’s website.
AAEI members can contact AAEI’s Government Affairs Manager Mitchell Hart with any related questions. Not a member yet? Click here to learn more about AAEI membership.
Senate Committee to Take Up De Minimis Bill
April 17, 2014 – The Senate Finance Committee will consider a de minimis bill called Ensure Accountability in De Minimis Act of 2024 (S. 4082). It adds clarity to the rules around qualifications for duty-free de minimis value shipments into the U.S.
The bill includes measures that would enhance the government’s access to the import data in the International Trade Data System. Click here to read the bill.
New CBP WRO Issued for Imports Made Using Convict Labor
April 17, 2024 – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) last week for work gloves being imported from Chinese-owned Shanghai Select Products Company and its subsidiaries. CBP says it issued the WRO based on information that “reasonably” shows the work gloves were made with the use of convict labor, a violation of Section 1307.
CBP is currently enforcing 52 WROs, which apply to cases of suspected forced labor outside of China’s Xianjing region and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). For details, see the CBP news release.
CBP’s March Update: $32M in Shipments Detained Suspecting Forced Labor
April 17, 2024 – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its March 2024 operational statistics update last Friday. The update states that CBP detained 749 shipments valued at more than $32 million based on the suspected use of forced labor. This is an increase from the number of shipments detained in February, a total of 540.
The value of the shipments detained decreased from $306 million worth of shipments detained in February. CBP also said that it seized 1,633 shipments that contained counterfeit goods, valued at more than $384 million. For more information, read CBP’s March update here.
Lawmakers Urge Diplomats to Strengthen Forced Labor Laws Overseas
April 17, 2024 – House leaders wrote Secretary of State Antony Blinken a letter today, urging the State Department to help support passage of the European Union’s (UE’s) forced labor import ban. The letter emphasizes the use of U.S. diplomatic efforts to ensure that countries around the world, including the EU, “understand the transnational implications of the UFLPA.”
Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) express their concern that forced labor import bans implemented by U.S. allies and partners may fall short of UFLPA’s standards, encouraging companies to build a separate supply chain “tainted by forced labor” for the rest of the world. Read the letter here.
U.S. and UK Issue New Prohibitions on Russian Metals
April 17, 2024 – The U.S. Treasury Department in coordination with the United Kingdom (UK) issued new prohibitions last week to reduce Russia’s revenue from metal exports. These include 2 new prohibitions on the import of Russian-origin aluminum, copper and nickel into the U.S.
The prohibitions also limit the use of Russian-origin aluminum, copper and nickel on global metal exchanges and in over-the-counter derivatives trading. The Treasury says that this is intended to solidify its fulfillment of the G7 Leaders’ Statement to disrupt Russia’s revenue from metals. For more information, read Treasury’s news release here.
FMC Expecting Input on New D&D Rule, Data Elements
April 17, 2024 – The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) will oversee industry implementation of its new rule on detention and demurrage rule, which goes into effect on May 28th.
At the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America’s (NCBFAA’s) annual conference this week, Transportation and Logistics Counsel Ashley Craig reportedly said he suspects there will be a lot of “head scratching” about the gray areas of the new rule. Meanwhile, the FMC is asking for public comments on what data elements importers and exporters exchange with transportation service providers about “containers moving through marine terminals.” The FMC says the notice an expansion of its Marine Transportation Data Initiative. For details, see this week’s FMC notice.
Lawmakers Propose Bill to Make Unused Merchandise Eligible for Drawback
April 17, 2024 – Lawmakers introduced a bill earlier this month that would fix a discrepancy that drawback filers run into when filing claims for unused merchandise. The bill, H.R. 7864, is being referred to as the “J-5” bill because it affects a the 1313(j)(5) rule that prompts an “other, other” classification for drawback filers. The bill will change the way U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) treats certain unused merchandise for drawback purposes. See the bill text here.
Dina Amato Named Director of C-TPAT Program
April 17, 2024 – Dina Amato was named as the new Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Program. She was most recently Assistant Director for trade at CBP’s Miami/Tampa Field Office. The announcement was made at CBP’s Trade Summit during the Leadership Town Hall. Read more updates from the event at CBP’s website.
