NMFS: Upcoming Import Prohibitions and Industry Webinars

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces that, effective January 1, 2026, imports of specific fish and fish products from countries whose fisheries have not received comparability findings under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) will be restricted from entering…

CBP: Settlement Reached in Aluminum Extrusions Duty Evasion Case

Harman International Industries, parent company of Harman Kardon®, JBL®, and Mark Levinson®—has agreed to pay $11,809,628 to settle allegations that it evaded antidumping and countervailing duties (ADCVD) on aluminum-extrusion heatsinks imported from China. According to the allegations, the company failed…

Year-End Insights Webinar 3: How to Prepare for 2026

Strategies, Tools & Talent for What’s Next! During the session Star USA’s president, Michael D. Easton, opened with key takeaways from our previous webinar. Licensed Customs Broker DeAndra Ballard then walked through the fundamentals of tariffs. The webinar concluded with…

USTR: U.S. and U.K. Reach Agreement on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technology

On December 1, 2025, the United States and United Kingdom announced a new agreement on pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical ingredients, and medical technology. Under this arrangement, the U.S. would remove Section 232 tariffs on U.K.-sourced medical goods, pause any Section 301 investigations…

FDA: Agency Deploys Agentic AI Capabilities for Staff Use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the rollout of agency-wide agentic AI tools designed to support employees with complex, multi-step tasks. These systems build on the FDA’s earlier deployment of its LLM-based tool, Elsa—currently used voluntarily by a majority…

CBP: Agency Opens CTPAT Pilot Program to Both Asset- and Non-Asset-Based 3PLs as December 2025 Launch Nears

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is moving forward with the start of its updated CTPAT pilot program for third-party logistics providers (3PLs), issuing a new notice as the launch date approaches. Since 2008, the agency has allowed 3PLs to participate…

Year-End Insights Webinar 2: What’s Changing & What to Watch

Trade Trends & Hot Topics for 2026! In this webinar Star USA’s Michael D. Easton talks about how to use strategic thinking to navigate today’s challenges. He identifies several of the problems he’s faced this year and describes how he…

DOC: Mexico’s Countervailing Cases Set to Expire as Continuation Possible

Several countervailing duty cases in Mexico are approaching expiration. Domestic manufacturers, however, have the option to petition for their continuation, potentially extending protections for U.S. industries. Read More

USTR: Proposes Section 301 Vessel Fees and 100 Percent Tariffs on Port Equipment

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced plans on October 10, 2025, to implement new Section 301 measures affecting vessel operators and certain cargo equipment. Key changes include setting service fees for foreign-built vehicle carriers at $46 per net ton, removing…

Year-End Insights Webinar 1: What We Learned in 2025

Key Changes, Shifts & Surprises in Trade This Year! How have you survived 2025 and how do you plan to weather 2026? In this webinar Star USA’s president, Michael D. Easton, was joined by Lee Mersek, president of Global Resilience…

DOJ: Los Angeles Clothing Importer Sentenced for $17 Million Tax Evasion and $8 Million Customs Fraud in Operation Take Back America

The Department of Justice announced the sentencing of a wholesale clothing importer based in downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District for orchestrating a large-scale customs fraud and tax evasion scheme. Federal prosecutors detailed how the company systematically undervalued imported apparel, primarily…

CBP: ACE CERT Enhancement on Oct. 7 Increases Statement Capacity to 9,999 Entry Summaries

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plans an October 7 enhancement in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Certification (CERT) environment, raising the maximum number of entry summaries allowed on a single statement from 2,000 to 9,999. This update comes as…