Last week the U.S. Congress passed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, also known as the Customs Reauthorization Bill. The Bill, which we expect to be signed by the President, will update U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) regulations and will go into effect 180 days after signing. In particular, mechanisms will be put in place to strengthen trade enforcement at the border and facilitate the movement of legitimate trade.
The new legislation also includes the following provisions:
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Simplifying “drawback”
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Increasing the de minimis limit to $800 per person per day for incoming shipments. This provision is especially important for retailer’s e-commerce.
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Establishing firm deadlines for CBP to investigate claims of antidumping or countervailing duty evasion
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Enforcing measures for intellectual property rights
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Strengthening the prohibition on importing goods made with convict or forced labor.
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Codifying CBP’s Centers for Excellence and Expertise, “CEE’s”
[View source.]
