The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has issued a temporary final rule which, effective April 1, 2009, increases federal excise tax rates and imposes a floor stocks tax1 on a larger scope of imported tobacco products, cigarette papers, and cigarette tubes.
Drawback
A duty drawback is a refund by CBP of the duties, taxes, or fees paid on imported goods, which were imposed upon importation as prescribed in 19 U.S.C. 1313(d). More broadly, a drawback also includes the refund or remission of other excise taxes pursuant to other provisions of law.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message stating that the code to accept the Lacey Act data was successfully deployed the morning of April 1, 2009 to both the Production and Certification regions. CBP notes that it has already received a number of entries containing Lacey Act data and that the application is working in good form. (CSMS 09-000156, dated 04/01/09, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17544&page=&srch_argv=09-000156&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby)
The Office of Textiles and Apparel has announced that effective April 1, 2009, China's value-added tax (VAT) export rebate (duty drawback rate) for most textile and apparel goods will rise one percentage point to 16%. The rate for leather and leather apparel products will rise to 13%. The list of products and tariff number (partially in English) subject to the increase has also been posted. (See future issue of ITT for details.) (OTEXA press release with link to list, dated 03/30/09, http://web.ita.doc.gov/otexa/hotiss.nsf/7bfa72c94f543da685256e5b00498a4d/bb32a878458380a185257566004caeef?OpenDocument)
The World Bank has issued report announcing that several countries, including 17 of the G-20 countries1, have implemented 47 trade restrictive measures, including import duties, import bans, and subsidies, since November 15, 2008.
On February 25, 2009 the American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) sent a letter to President Obama advocating a "stimulus package for trade."
During Secretary of State Clinton's recent visit to South Korea, she and South Korean Foreign Minister Yu discussed the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. According to remarks made by Minister Yu, the U.S. and South Korea have agreed to work together to move forward on the U.S.-Korea FTA. (Remarks with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu, dated 02/20/09, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/119412.htm.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued its Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2008.
The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General has issued a report containing an independent audit conducted by KPMG LLP that addresses weaknesses in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's fiscal year 2008 internal controls.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a notice entitled Notice of Examination: April 2009 Customs Broker License Examination, which announces that the next customs broker license exam will be held on Monday, April 6, 2009.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice stating that it has eliminated one of the conditions that must be met when filing drawback claims for the refund of the federal excise tax (Spill Tax1) paid on imported petroleum products, including crude oil.