CBP: New Guidance on De Minimis Mail Entries and Temporary Rule Suspension

CBP has announced a temporary suspension of a regulatory exception affecting certain low-value international mail shipments. Effective April 30, 2025, informal (Type 11) entries are permitted under the revised rules. Starting May 3, 2025, formal entries will be required for…

CBP: U.S. Issues Steep Tariffs on Imports from China, Hong Kong, and Macau

An update was published under the April 9, 2025, Executive Order titled “Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates to Reflect Trading Partner Retaliation and Alignment.” The order imposes steep new rates: items originating from China, Hong Kong, and Macau will now fall…

China Imposes Tariffs on U.S. Goods as EU Plans Retaliatory Measures

China has responded to the U.S. with an 84% tariff, while the European Union has announced plans to impose its own tariffs on select American goods starting April 15, 2025, though the specific items have yet to be finalized. These…

Incoterms®

What they mean and how to pick one? In this insightful webinar, Michael D. Easton from Star USA explored the crucial role Incoterms® play in global trade. He covered the different Incoterms® rules, what they mean for both buyers and…

CSMS: Registration Open for 2025 TFCS Summit

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will host the 2025 Trade Facilitation and Cargo Security (TFCS) Summit on May 6-8. This year’s theme, “Trade for Strength,” focuses on securing supply chains and reshoring prosperity. A networking session on May…

CSMS: CBP’s Approved Customs Brokers List

CBP has a list of permitted customs brokers available on their site. They update it from the ACE National Permit record. If it’s wrong, make sure that brokers update their data there (also that’s the law under 19 CFR 111.30(a)!…

Justice: U.S. Seizes Smuggled Dassault Falcon Tied to Venezuela

The US filed a civil forfeiture complaint in Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft that was smuggled from the US and operated by a Venezuelan blocked party. Read More

CSMS: Verify Your Customs Broker’s Listing on CBP’s Official Site

CBP has a list of permitted customs brokers available on their site. They update it from the ACE National Permit record. If it’s wrong, make sure that brokers update their data there (also that’s the law under 19 CFR 111.30(a)!…

Canada’s Dairy Protections Spark Trade Debate Amid U.S. Export Surplus

Trump has criticized Canada’s supply management system, which limits dairy imports and maintains stable prices for Canadian farmers, arguing that it unfairly disadvantages American dairy producers. Meanwhile, Canada defends the system as essential for protecting its agricultural sector and ensuring…

House Committee Seeks Briefing on National Security Risks in University Supercomputers

U.S. lawmakers are seeking a briefing from the Bureau of Industry and Security on the risk of PRC nationals accessing university supercomputers powered by export-controlled chips. Concerns center on PRC-linked entities bypassing restrictions to advance China’s military and technological capabilities,…

Digging into the GRIs

Taking apart the brain of the HTS! The General Rules of Interpretation (GRIs) are the way we apply the Harmonized System (HS) to classify goods in international trade. This webinar delves into each GRI, providing a thorough understanding of each rule…

DOJ: Federal Register Notice Outlines DOGE Workforce Cuts, Hiring Limits, and Potential Slowdowns

Here’s the Federal Register notice about how the DOGE Workforce Optimization Initiative is supposed to be initiated. I expect that most functions we work with will slow down. Each agency is allowed to hire no more than one person per…