Commercial hand carries are classified as imports or exports and therefore necessitate the same compliance reviews as items shipped in standard packaging. Does your organization engage in the hand-carrying of commercial items for import or export? If so, do you have a formal policy or procedure in place to ensure compliance with relevant regulations? In…
Regulatory Blast – Drinking from a Firehose! The recent regulatory landscape is ever changing. In fact, I am finding it hard to stay up to date – and I am what some may say “experienced”! The other day, I told a colleague that I had not had an easy question to answer that week! In…
Did you know that the anti-boycott laws are part of export compliance? If not, you are not alone as this is often an overlooked due diligence requirement necessary to comply with the U.S. export laws. Understanding what U.S. anti-boycott compliance means and how it affects day-to-day operations is key to adhering to the requirements. These…
In 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, “… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. Nothing rings truer than when you are trying to import merchandise from another country. If you don’t get all the elements correct for an import entry, you might…
This past July, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) recently issued guidance on addressing both export controls and diversion risks. (Diversion risk refers to the potential for items, technology, or services to be redirected or transferred to unauthorized end-users or end-uses, which can violate export control laws and regulations). The guidance outlines various actions BIS…
Spoiler Alert – Similar but Different As a U.S. importer or exporter, we are required to comply with specific regulations. For defense articles, we are regulated by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), for dual-use and commercial items, we must comply with the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and for importing into the U.S., we…
The game of deception is a bad guy’s favorite game. The lengths of trouble that these people will go to in order to violate the law is extraordinary. Whether it is firearms, drugs or even money, their skills at trying to deceive U.S. Customs or BIS is quite astounding. I have witnessed some of their…
The U.S. government’s recent decision to increase Section 301 tariffs on certain Chinese imports is a significant development in the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China. While aimed at addressing long-standing trade issues, these tariffs also raise concerns for importers who rely on Chinese goods. Understanding Section 301 Tariffs Section 301 of…
After over 15 years of maintaining the same fee structure for International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration, the U.S. State Department has proposed amendments to increase the fees required for Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) enrollment. As a reminder, the export regulations require registration for those engaged in manufacturing, exporting, temporarily importing, or brokering of…
In the world of international shipping and e-commerce, the term “Section 321” has gained significance, especially among those importing goods into the United States. Under this provision of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, shipments valued at $800 or less can enter the country duty-free and without formal entry requirements. However, the…