The importing community received long-awaited clarity in plans for new Section 301 customs duties on Chinese goods this last Friday, September 13. The Office of the US Trade Representative ("USTR") released the final text of...more
9/17/2024
/ China ,
Effective Date ,
Federal Register ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
Section 301 ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
We are seeing a steady increase in client imports being detained at port by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on grounds of alleged forced labor in the supply chain....more
7/12/2024
/ China ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Entity List ,
Forced Labor ,
Freight Forwarding ,
Human Rights ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
Popular ,
Supply Chain ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
Vehicle manufacturing is a highly regulated process for good reason. The lives of all on the U.S. roadways are at stake every moment during operation....more
The path forward for new tariffs on imports to the United States from China is now emerging. This week the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requested comment on proposed Section 301 tariff modifications and...more
New Section 301 tariffs on imports from China were announced by the Biden Administration on May 14, 2024. The White House circulated a fact sheet directing the United States Trade Representative ("USTR") to exercise tariffs...more
5/17/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
China ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Imports ,
Section 301 ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
Courts have clearly established that a shipper cannot prevail in a freight claim against a carrier if an “Act of God” caused the freight loss or damage. The Act of God defense is an original, and one of the most...more
New changes went into effect on February 15, 2024, for imports of low-value items under a program that has gained great significance with the rise of cross-border e-commerce. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published...more
New changes went into effect today for a testing program for low-value imports which have gained great significance with the rise of cross-border e-commerce. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) published these changes...more
Enforcement action by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is not uncommon even for the most diligent of importers or service providers. CBP may issue a Notice of Penalty in circumstances where it believes a violation...more
Enforcement actions by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are increasingly more intensive and less lenient than in the past based on our experience. It is not uncommon in today’s regulatory enforcement landscape for...more
11/15/2022
/ Anti-Dumping Duty ,
Countervailing Duties ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Duties ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
Liquidated Damages ,
Offers in Compromise ,
Tariff Act of 1930
The public will soon have an opportunity to offer comment on the Section 301 duties that were imposed on imports from China under the prior Administration. Recently the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”)...more
Beneficial cargo owners have faced well-reported challenges in recent bid seasons. Two plus years of global pandemic unleashed supply and capacity interruption, carrier lane divergence, and an explosion in rates as well as...more
Valuable tariff relief is now available for goods imported to the U.S. from China. On March 23, 2022 the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) published Federal Register Notice 87 FR 17380 retroactively reinstating certain U.S....more
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is considering public comment regarding the possible reinstatement of Section 301 tariff exclusions on goods imported from China...more
We previously alerted domestic importers on the option of litigating to recover List 4A duties, and that bulletin is available here. At the time one year ago domestic industry had taken note of a lawsuit before the Court of...more
A flurry of activity recently consumed domestic industry and law firms, including Benesch, as domestic importers sought to maximize the potential for relief from the Section 301 duties against Chinese goods, while staring...more
The potential for domestic U.S. importers to receive refunds of Section 301 duties paid on Chinese goods has captured the attention of the trade community. Sparked by a lawsuit filed last Thursday, many are hopeful for the...more
The long-awaited INCOTERMS 2020 are here! The International Chamber of Commerce ( ICC) released its update to the INCOTERMS in September of 2019. Now in effect, it is essential that stakeholders across all manner of supply...more
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) issued bulletin CSMS #42097586 on March 20, 2020, advising that payment of import duties may be deferred under certain circumstances due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically,...more
Thirty days remain to file exclusion requests for List 3 of the Section 301 tariffs on products imported from China. The official deadline for electronic submission of exclusion requests is September 30, 2019....more
8/30/2019
/ China ,
Electronic Filing ,
Exclusion List ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Imports ,
Requests for Exclusion ,
Section 301 ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
Customs duty drawback has long been recognized as a lawful means by which importers may reduce the realized impact of tariff duties on imported items. United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) published a highly...more
The INCOTERMS published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have long served the international community by offering a “shorthand” for communicating key shipping terms. INCOTERMS are so ubiquitous in international...more
11/20/2018
/ Buyers ,
China ,
Contract Interpretation ,
Contract Negotiations ,
Contract Terms ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Duties ,
Imports ,
International Freight ,
Manufacturers ,
Purchase Agreement ,
Section 301 ,
Sellers ,
Shipping ,
Supply Chain ,
Supply Contracts ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations ,
US Trade Policies
Letters of Credit (LOCs) have long been used to minimize the financial risk of international purchase agreements. Sellers and buyers may agree to use LOCs to ensure that goods are received and payment is remitted as intended....more
11/20/2018
/ Banking Sector ,
Buyers ,
Common Carriers ,
Exports ,
Imports ,
International Freight ,
Letter of Credit ,
Sellers ,
Shipping ,
Supply Chain ,
Terms and Conditions ,
Transportation Industry
“It Was A Very Good Year” (For Freight Brokers) -
Frank Sinatra certainly was not thinking about freight brokers when singing this Grammy-winning song back in 1966. However, the title of the song definitely resonates for...more
11/19/2018
/ Brokers ,
Buyers ,
Commerce Clause ,
Contract Claims ,
Imports ,
International Freight ,
International Treaties ,
Letter of Credit ,
Preemption ,
Public Procurement Policies ,
Sellers ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Transportation Industry ,
Wrongful Death
Regulatory changes are coming to in-bond transportation that will impact the operations of bonded carriers in the United States. The practice of in-bond transportation permits motor carriers to lawfully transport freight from...more