CBP posted its textile and apparel enforcement statistics through the first two quarters of fiscal year 2012. Textiles and apparel seized in the first two quarters for intellectual property rights violations fell about 30% from the same period in 2011. Total value of such IPR seizures fell by about 41%. The value of all types of commercial fraud penalty actions is well above the corresponding period in 2011, even though the number of 2012 actions is about half those in the first two quarters of 2011.
CBP released its July 13 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 29). While the Bulletin does not contain any ruling articles, it does list recent information collections and Court of International Trade decisions.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
Airlines for America (A4A) and the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) Monday urged Congress to “focus its limited Customs and Border Protection (CBP) resources on better serving U.S. gateway airports rather than creating a new pay-to-play scheme that diverts funds overseas and puts U.S. jobs at risk.” In a joint letter to the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee, the groups objected to a Homeland Security Department (DHS) spending proposal, which would allow foreign governments to pay for pre-clearance facilities at international airports, regardless of whether they are served by U.S. airlines and “without consideration to where the greatest need for CBP staffing exists.” If CPB re-allocates its “already scarce resources” to overseas facilities bankrolled by foreign governments, “our airlines and our customers would be disadvantaged in this classic ‘pay-to-play’ scenario,” said A4A CEO Nicholas Calio. “This kind of policy choice clearly undermines the ability of U.S. carriers to compete in the global marketplace and puts American jobs at risk.” Said ALPA President Lee Moak: “The safety and security of our passengers and crew is our top priority and we believe having private or third parties fund a government function may have significant unintended consequences for national security as well as the competitiveness of the U.S. airline industry.” In their letter to the committee, A4A and ALPA said that nothing in the proposed DHS spending plan stipulates that these agreements be vetted for national-security risks.
CBP issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of July 16.
CBP posted a July 16 version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) electronic query report of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP also posted a version of its CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) electronic query report of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.
CBP will have an informational seminar on Antidumping and Countervailing Duty hosted by Alexander Amdur, AD/CVD Chief in CBP's Office of Trade, CBP said in a informational pipeline notice. The seminar will be at 10 a.m. July 31 on the 4th floor of 1100 Raymond Blvd., Newark, NJ 07102. Email Alice.Liakakos@cbp.dhs.gov to make a reservation. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of the notice.
Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS) was updated July 13 with 282 rulings, bringing the total number of searchable rulings to 173,094. The most recent ruling is dated 7/13/2012 12:00:00 AM.
CBP posted revised versions of two of its informed compliance publications. The revised version of "Hand Tool Sets Classified Within Subheadings 8205.90.00 and 8206.00.00" is (here) and the revised version of "Distinguishing Bolts from Screws" is (here). (See future issue of ITT for details on substantial changes made.)
A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's web site as of July 13, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)