The Mexican Secretariat of Economy recently issued instructions for entering samples into Mexico for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of compliance with Mexican product standards, according to a recent circular issued by the Mexican Confederation of Customs Broker Associations (CAAAREM), as posted by consultancy AJR Comercio Exterior. Importers should declare the samples under Mexican tariff subheading 9906.00.01, and attach to the entry an electronic document issued by the relevant certification body that says the samples are being imported for the purposes of certification with a Mexican product standard, the circular said. A maximum of three samples may be imported for this purpose, or in some cases the number of samples stated in the relevant product standard. Under recently issued regulations, certain goods may not be imported into Mexico without a certificate of compliance at the time of entry stating it complies with Mexican product standards.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency created a new webpage to help importers and customs brokers "to understand a reject message for imports declared through the Integrated Import Declaration (IID) system," the CFIA said in an email. The new webpage provides examples and descriptions of reject messages for CFIA-regulated imports.
A recent announcement of new funding for customs information technology and training grants for importers, exporters, brokers and forwarders in the United Kingdom may be too little and too late, said the British International Freight Association. Announced Sept. 3 (see 1909030069), the new round of £16 million may not lead to “thousands of more customs experts on hand to help businesses on and after Brexit day,” BIFA said. It could take up to a year to train new staff, even if there are enough trainers and courses for the new staff to attend, BIFA said. Less than 1,000 U.K. businesses applied for the first round of grants, out of more than 240,000 that currently trade with the EU, the trade group said. And worryingly, the funding may not be available until after Brexit day on Oct. 31, unless a company can get a training quote and submit an application within the next week, BIFA said. “That just adds to the enormous uncertainty and pressure that BIFA members, which are responsible for managing the movement of a large proportion of the UK’s visible international trade, have faced since the result of the Brexit referendum in June 2016,” BIFA said.
Mexico is again allowing more time for importers to comply with new certificate of compliance requirements for some Mexican product standards at the time of entry, the Latin American Confederation of Customs Brokers said in a recent circular. For the second time, an additional 15 days have been added to a grace period that now ends Sept. 10 for importers to obtain a certificate of compliance from a recognized certification body. Until the time period expires, importers that have not yet obtained the certificate may continue their current operations unchanged, as long as they submitted their request to the certification body by June 30 and include a receipt number for the request in their entry documentation. As part of this extension, Mexico announced that it will conduct a review as to why certification bodies have not processed pending requests for certificates, the circular said.
Canada’s accession to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty requires “significant amendments” to the country’s Export and Import Permits Act that will broaden its current export control regime, according to an August post from the McMillan law firm.
Global Affairs Canada issued a notice to brokers and a notice to exporters related to the country's accession to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (see 1906260066). “An export permit requirement has been put in place for the export of ATT items” to the U.S., GAC said. The reporting requirements “enable the Government of Canada to increase transparency by reporting on the permanent export of ATT items to the United States.”
Mexico recently issued regulations formalizing import restrictions put in place in 2018 meant to protect against the introduction of African swine fever, according to a press release from the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). Published on Aug. 15, the new regulations keep in place measures set in 2018 that prohibit the importation of pigs, pork, semen and embryos, as well as containers and vehicles used to transport these animals and animal products.
A naturalized U.S. citizen was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to several export violations, including illegally transferring missile systems and unlicensed arms brokering, the Justice Department said in an Aug. 20 press release. Rami Najm Asad-Ghanem, who was living in Egypt at the time of the offenses, transferred “a wide array of surface-to-air missile systems” around the world, the Justice Department said, including to clients in Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Hezbollah.
Non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) performing services in China no longer require a cash deposit at a Chinese bank or a supplemental bond on file with the Federal Maritime Commission to register with Chinese authorities, provided that they are licensed or registered with the FMC, according to an update emailed Aug. 19 by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America. But they don’t have to cancel existing bonds either, the NCBFAA clarified.
Mexico is again allowing more time for importers to comply with new certificate of compliance requirements for some Mexican product standards at the time of entry, the Latin American Confederation of Customs Brokers said in a recent circular. An additional 15 days have been added to a grace period that ended Aug. 12 for importers to obtain a certificate of compliance from a recognized certification body. Until the time period expires, importers that have not yet obtained the certificate may continue their current operations unchanged, as long as they submitted their request to the certification body by May 31 and include a receipt number for the request in their entry documentation. Mexico is granting the extension because of the volume of requests that have been submitted and are still pending the conformity evaluation process, the circular said.